Pauline del Rosario shares 8th after closing 69

TAIWAN — Pauline del Rosario delivered an impressive final-round rally at the Party Golfers Ladies Open, closing with back-to-back birdies to shoot a 69 and secure a share of eighth place. Needing a strong finish to clinch a Top 10 spot, Del Rosario’s birdies on the final two holes propelled her to a total of seven-under 209 for the 54-hole event.

The tournament, held at Hsinchu County’s Lily Golf and Country Club, saw Ling-Jie Chen defend her title for the second consecutive year with a gritty performance. Chen finished with a 70, posting a 54-hole total of 205, and earned NT$900,000.

Del Rosario, who faced a setback with a double bogey on the par-4 ninth hole, quickly bounced back with birdies on Nos. 10 and 14, before recovering from a bogey on 12. She capped off her round with two more birdies to close the gap and earn a share of eighth place.

“I wanted to make birdies but didn’t push too hard,” said Del Rosario, who earned NT$100,000. “I’m happy I was able to finish strong.”

While her eighth-place finish fell short of last year’s sixth-place result, it highlighted her steady improvement as she prepares for the Epson Tour next year.

Chen, who entered the final round with a three-stroke lead, fended off a late challenge from Thai golfer Pakin Kawinpakorn. Tied with Chen at 10-under after birdying the 16th, Kawinpakorn’s comeback fell short when Chen responded with a birdie on the 17th to reclaim the lead. Chen parred the final hole to seal the victory.

Kawinpakorn finished one stroke behind at 206 after carding a 67, while five players — including former leader PK Kongkraphan — tied for third at 208. Kongkraphan, who had been in contention after a strong front nine, faltered with a double bogey on the 10th, finishing with a 72 to tie for third.

Del Rosario, starting the day five strokes behind the leaders, remained steady through the opening holes, parring five in a row before birdying the par-5 sixth and par-3 eighth. However, a double bogey on the ninth hole slowed her momentum. Despite this setback, she fought back with birdies on the back nine and ended with a 34-35 for her 69.

Reflecting on her performance, Del Rosario, who is backed by ICTSI, admitted that recent swing adjustments had made her nervous. “Honestly, I was nervous. We made a few changes to my swing, so I wasn’t entirely comfortable with it yet,” she said. “But I was happy I was able to perform and score well.”

Del Rosario, the first Filipina to win on the TLPGA in 2017, was pleased with her strong finish after opening with a 71 and improving to a 69 in the second round.

Other Filipinas also made notable showings. Florence Bisera rallied with a 70 to tie for 27th at 216, Mikha Fortuna carded a 73 to finish joint 37th at 217, Chanelle Avaricio dropped to 50th at 221 with a 76, and Mafy Singson rounded out the field in 53rd place with a 223 after a 77.