Cyna fires closing 69, cruises to 10-shot win

Cyna Rodriguez stamped her class with a solid three-under par 69, coasting to a stirring 10-stroke victory over compatriot Mia Piccio and American Catherine O’Donnell in the Mission Inn Open in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida Sunday.

Rodriguez, a former Junior World champion, birdied three of her first six holes at the back then never looked back to outclass the field en route to the runaway win, her first after two top three finishes in the Laura Diaz’s FCWT (Future Collegians World Tour).

The 16-year-old veteran of the Asian Games and World Amateurs finished the 54-hole tournament with a 213 that included a pair of 72s at the Las Colinas course as she earned an exemption to the National Championship and a nomination to the FCWT All-American Team.

“I felt so good with my game the whole week. It’s a nice feeling to get my first win,” said Rodriguez, on a golf scholarship from ICTSI who finished second in the Tampa Bay Open last September and shared third place World Woods Rolling Oaks Open ruled by Piccio last October.

Piccio bounced back with a one-under 71 after a forgettable 78 in the second round as she salvaged joint second with O’Donnell, matching par 72, at 223.

Colombia’s Susana Banavides, five off Rodriguez at the start of the final round, limped with a 76 and slid to fourth with a 225 followed by Christine Meier, also of the US, at 227 after a 77 and Maria Torres of Puerto Rico, who skied to an 80 for a 229.

Rodriguez, eyeing a stint in the Queen Sirikit Cup, also birdied No. 4 from five feet to go four-under but failed to rescue a par from a missed-green mishap on the par-5 fifth for that closing 36-33 card.

The former Thailand Junior champion led the field in both birdies and pars with 10 and 37, respectively.