Rohanna opens with 71 in Pennsylvania Open
Both Robert Rohanna and Mason Fordyce felt they played little better in the opening round of the Pennsylvania Open at The Club at Nevillewood Monday than their scorecards showed.
Rohanna had three birdies and two bogeys to finish with a 1-under 71. The Waynesburg Central graduate is tied with seven other golfers in 19th place.
Fordyce, a 2011 Uniontown graduate, didn鈥檛 fare as well with five bogeys and two double bogeys for a 9-over 81. He鈥檚 tied in 111th place.
The low 40 scores and ties advance to Wednesday鈥檚 final round. Currently, the low 40 scores are at 1-over.
Malvern鈥檚 Cole Willcox holds the first-round lead at 5-under 67.
Rohanna opened on No. 10 with five straight pars. He birdied No. 15, but gave the stroke back with a bogey on No. 17. Rohanna closed out his front nine with a birdie on No. 18 to go out in 1-under 35.
He moved to 2-under with a birdie on No. 4, but lost the stroke with a bogey-6 on No. 7, a 530-yard par-5. Rohanna parred out to play his back nine in even-par 36.
鈥淎 71 is fine. I played a little better than that,鈥� said Rohanna.聽
Of his two bogeys, Rohanna said, 鈥淭he first one was a 3-putt (on No. 17, a 181-yard par-3) and the other was on a par-5 (No. 7). I hit in the hazard.鈥�
Rohanna didn鈥檛 hit driver often, but was not pleased with the results when he did.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 actually drive it well. I hit my driver three times. I hit into the hazard (on No. 7). Another hit the bunker lip (of a fairway bunker) and rolled into the bunker. I had one good drive.鈥�
He said he had mixed results on the greens.
鈥淚 had 10 putts inside 10, 12 feet and made four of them. I had two 3-putts and one was for par,鈥� said Rohanna. 鈥淚鈥檓 putting pretty good, but only making par putts. I had a 6-footer for eagle (on No. 15). It was an easy putt, but I did not hit a good putt and made birdie. The longest putt I made today was a 10-footer for birdie on No. 18.聽
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 feel like I putted that bad. I felt speed was my issue today. I was missing putts that were on line, but the speed was off. I鈥檓 hitting my lines. I hit three or four right in the heart, but came up short.鈥�
Rohanna finished tied for fourth last year, two strokes behind winner Billy Stewart. Two years ago he lost in a playoff and settled for a second-place tie.
Rohanna thinks he鈥檒l be able to work out the kinks when he goes off No. 1 today at 1:40 p.m.
鈥淭his course isn鈥檛 hard, but it鈥檚 not easy, either. There鈥檚 a bunch of elevation changes. Nevillewood is a beast to walk,鈥� said Rohanna, adding, 鈥淚鈥檓 okay.鈥�
Fordyce quickly summed up his first round by saying, 鈥淟et me tell you, the problem was I putted horrible. I was hitting a lot better than that.
鈥淚 had a couple 3-putts. I played the par-3s bad. When I did miss, I missed on the wrong side.鈥�
Fordyce, who caddies at Laurel Valley, played the par-5s in even par, but was 4-over on the par-3s and 5-over on the par-4s.
鈥淚 played the par-3s bad,鈥� said Fordyce. 鈥淭here are a lot of subtle breaks. I missed five par putts from four feet because of misreads.鈥�
Fordyce is playing in his first state open and, despite his putting woes, has enjoyed the experience so far.
鈥淭his is a great experience. I hit it great. I just couldn鈥檛 score. It鈥檚 disappointing,鈥� said Fordyce. 鈥淚 have a lot of confidence going (into the second round). I鈥檒l try to get it down to 3 or 4-over.鈥�
Fordyce goes off No. 1 bright and early this morning at 7:55.