SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, August 2, 2014 – Rachel Rohanna turned in a 4-under 67 and Veronica Felibert carded a 2-under 69 on Saturday to share the 36-hole lead at 6-under 136 at the Credit Union Classic presented by Wegmans. Calle Nielson, Katelyn Sepmoree, Garrett Phillips and Ellen Davies-Graham are in a tie for second at 5-under 137.
The cut line tilted to 3-over-par late in the day and 86 players will tee off on Sunday in the final round at Drumlins Country Club, East Course.
Eleven players are within three shots of the lead heading into Sunday. Of the 11, only Laura Kueny has won on Tour.
Golf is a funny and confusing game sometimes, even for professionals. Last week in Albany, Rohanna shot 10-over 81 on the first day and 7-over 78 in the second round for a two-day total of 17-over 159. She finished dead last.
One week later, she has a share of the lead with 18 holes to play.
“I feel really good, especially after a rough last week when I had two really bad rounds,” said 23-year-old Rohanna. “Coming into this week, I really worked on my swing and I wanted to make sure I was giving myself good opportunities for birdies and had a few drop yesterday and today.”
Rohanna, who started the day in a tie for 13th, made birdie on the first and second holes. After a par on the third, she carded another birdie on the fourth hole. The Waynesburg, Pennsylvania native made eight straight pars until she buried another birdie on the par-5 13th.
“I didn’t have too many chip shots today, but the one that I had I chipped in. My putter was on, it didn’t get me into any trouble and my swing was on too.”
Rohanna hit 16 of 18 greens and attempted 31 putts.
“This is the first time I’ve went from dead last to a tie for first in one week, but it just shows everyone how crazy this game is. You can go to the PGA TOUR or LPGA Tour and look who is in last and you will probably recognize that name and next week they can go out and win. It’s great to have the confidence going into tomorrow knowing that I played two really good rounds.”
Rohanna comes from a golf family. Her sister plays college golf at Youngstown State and her grandparents played professionally. This week, she has her uncle as her caddie and friends and family in the gallery.
“I’m very, very lucky to have all of my family involved in the game and to have my uncle as my caddie is great. My parents are my number one fans and they are always out here. My mom is always sending out mass messages to 20 plus people so it is great.”
Rohanna has one top-10 finish this year and ranks 68th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with $7,726 earned.
Felibert, 29, had one birdie and one bogey on the front nine. The turning point of her round came on the par-5 13th hole.
“I had 179-yards to the pin so I hit my hybrid and my close friend Lili Alvarez yelled great shot because I couldn’t see the pin,” said Felibert, who has six career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour. “It almost went in for a double-eagle apparently and I had 9-feet and my caddie, a friend from New York, read it pretty good.”
Felibert, who has played in only seven Epson Tour events because she also plays on the LPGA Tour, ranks 42nd on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.
The final group of Rohanna, Felibert and Katelyn Sepmoree will tee at 9:36 a.m.
TOP SIX HAVE NEVER WON ON TOUR: The top six on the leaderboard, separated by one shot, will all aim for their first Epson Tour win on Sunday.
Rachel Rohanna, Veronica Felibert, Katelyn Sepmoree, Calle Nielson, Garrett Phillips and Ellen Davies-Graham will all try and win their first career event on Sunday.
LILI ALVAREZ WANTS TO GIVE A GIFT: Lili Alvarez wants nothing more than a strong finish to say thank you to all the people that have supported her.
Alvarez, from Durango, Mexico, is having her best tournament of the year and has positioned herself for her first top-10 finish on Tour since 2011. Alvarez shot a 1-under 70 that included an eagle on 13 to move to 4-under for the event. She is in a tie for seventh, two shots back of the lead.
“A strong finish would be a gift to all the people that have been with me and have given me the opportunity to be out here,” said the 30-year-old Alvarez. “It would also be a gift for me because I’ve prepared and I like what I do. It would really be a gift to say thank you to everyone that has helped me.”
Alvarez lists the foundation in Mexico that helps her pay entry fees, IGPM, the insurance company that helps bring her to events, her family and friends and god as those that she wants to thank most.
Coming into the 15th event of the year, Alvarez ranks 132 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. She has made just four cuts in 12 events played and has earned only $1,966.
“I know I can play, sometimes I get in my head and I just decided to go out there and play the golf course and see what happens.”
Alvarez’s best finish this year is a tie for 34th at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic.
“It feels good to know that what I am doing with my head is working. I feel so relaxed, I finished the round and I feel like I can play 18 more holes. I am not stressed; I’m just enjoying everything. Whatever happens tomorrow happens.”
SADENA PARKS RECEIVES TIFOSI OPTICS SHADES: Sadena Parks was the Tifosi Optics Low Round winner on Sunday at the SEFCU Championship at Capital Hills last week in Albany, New York. She shot a 9-under 62 to win the event by one shot over Min Lee.
The winner of the Tifosi Optics Low Round receives a free pair of Tifosi Optics sunglasses. Tifosi Optics is the official sunglasses provider of the Epson Tour.
Parks is even-par this week in a tie for 28th.
)
)
)
)
