Gutsy Piccio makes LPGA-Q final stage

MANILA, Philippines - Mia Piccio bucked tough pin placements and salvaged a 74 as she safely made it to the final stage of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament at the Bobcat Course of Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida Friday.

The 23-year-old Piccio recovered from a disastrous 77 start with impressive rounds of 70 and 71 but failed to sustain her fightback and close out with a two-over card. But the Bacolod native’s 292 total was enough to net her a spot in the Final Stage where she hopes to make the grade and earn a card for next year’s LPGA season.

She wound up in joint 59th with the cut pegged at 295.

The Final Stage will be held at LPGA International in Daytona Beach from Dec. 3 to 7.

Ginger Howard of Bradenton, Florida closed out with 71 for a four-day total of nine-under 279 to earn the low medal honors, one stroke clear of Alison Lee of Valencia, California, who matched par 72 for a 280.

Piccio has been dishing out impressive games lately. In fact, she recently snared her maiden pro crown in the Oca Augas Santas Ladies International Open in Lugo, Spain where she fired a 69 and rallied from three-strokes down to beat Italy’s Vittoria Valvassori and Sweden’s Lina Boqvist for the crown.

Piccio sizzled with a 65 in the first round then slowed down with a 68 in the next to trail Boqvist in the LET Access Tour, the developmental circuit of Ladies European Tour.

“It’s my first win and it tastes sweeter than the sweetest cake you can have. I’m now ever more in love with this,” Piccio posted on her Twitter account after the awards rites.