Dorothy makes cut; Jenny falls

Good luck, Dorothy Delasin. Better luck next time, Jennifer Rosales.

Delasin marked her debut in the tough LPGA Tour with a stint in the final 36 holes of the Subaru Memorial of Naples tournament, safely making it through with an even-par 72 at the The Club at The Strand in Naples, Florida.

Slowing down a bit after firing a three-under-par 69 in windy conditions in the first round Thursday, the 1999 US Women's Amateur champion pooled a 36-hole aggregate of 141 for joint 28th, six strokes off defending champion Meg Mallon.

The two-day leader, who sizzled with a 64 Tuesday, cooled off with the weather on Friday, but Mallon's one-under 71 enabled her to maintain a one-shot lead with 135 at the halfway point of the second leg of the LPGA Tour.

While Delasin earned a crack at the top $127,000 purse in this $850,000 tournament, compatriot Rosales failed on her first try as a pro as she gained no headway with another two-over 74 for a 148 and missed the cut pegged at 145.

The 1998 US NCAA Division I champion, however, is expected to bounce back when she resumes her campaign next month in California.

"I played pretty solid," Mallon said. "I got warm on my back nine - the front nine - and I took off a layer to help my swing. I really don't like the cold weather, though."

The wind picked up and so did some of the scores, especially those of players who went out early. One of those was Mallon, who began on the 10th hole with a birdie but played just par golf thereafter.

"When I began the day with a birdie on No. 10, I said, Great, here we go again,'" Mallon said. "But it was really a different day and tomorrow I could stand to hit it a little closer."

The names behind Mallon have changed. Nancy Bowen and Marisa Baena dropped off the leaderboard and their places were taken by Tina Barrett, Dale Eggeling and Jen Hanna, all of whom are at 8-under.

Barrett shot her second straight 68, Eggeling fired a 66 and Hana carded a 70. Barrett benefited from playing later in the day, when the wind had subsided.

Betsy King carded a 69 and is among a group of four at 7-under 137, one shot ahead of another quartet featuring Catrin Nilsmark of Sweden, who fired a 68.