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Rohanna ends Symetra Tour season with 2nd career win

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Rachel Rohanna holds the Symetra Tour Championship trophy Monday after shooting a 4-under par 68 to win the tournament.

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Courtesy of Symetra Tour

Rachel Rohanna holds the Symetra Tour Championship trophy Monday after shooting a 4-under par 68 to win the tournament.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Rachel Rohanna of Waynesburg shot a final-round 4-under par 68 Monday to win the Symetra Tour Championship, her first victory of the year in the final event.

Rohanna finished at 13-under par at LPGA International’s Jones Course and held off charges from Yu Liu, Emma Talley and Benyapa Niphatsophon, who tied for second place at 12-under.

It is the second career victory for Rohanna, who won the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota, Fla., in April 2015.

“In years past, I’ve always done well here, but I’ve never really quite pulled out the win,” Rohanna said. “So, it’s always good to end the season on a high note. This is definitely higher than a high note. It’s been awesome.”

Rohanna’s game has been trending upwards this season as she’s had top-20 finishes in six of her last seven starts. It was her third top-5 finish of the year. For winning the tournament, Rohanna received a $30,000 payday.

“I haven’t won in two years, so to get another win under my belt was just awesome to remember I still have it in me,” Rohanna said. “It’s definitely one of my biggest paychecks, so to break that barrier as well is really nice.”

While her second career Symetra Tour victory isn’t enough to boost her inside the top 10 in the Volvik Race for the Card this season, Rohanna will return to Florida the week after Thanksgiving for the final stage of LPGA Qualifying School. Rohanna finished 11th on the Symetra money list, $2,509 out of the top 10.

“To win at the Symetra Tour Championship, I always said Florida’s like a second home to me, it’s where I had my first win, so that makes it even sweeter,” Rohanna said.

Rain in Florida forced tournament officials to trim the event from 72 holes to 54. After shooting 69 and 65 over the first two rounds, Rohanna had a four-stroke lead after Saturday’s play was suspended. She had to wait until Monday to tee off for the final round after play was postponed because of rain Sunday.

Rohanna played the first 11 holes of the final round at 4-under but a bogey on the par-3 17th opened the door for Talley, who closed with a 67 to secure her LPGA Tour card. Talley, the 2013 U.S Women’s Amateur champion and 2015 NCAA individual champion, shot 67 but also bogeyed No. 17.

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