Rogowicz leads Penn State women to title at River Landing Classic

   Penn State, with former Pennsbury standout Jackie Rogowicz leading the way, captured the team title by seven shots at the River Landing Classic with a strong finish Friday at the River Landing Club in Wallace, N.C.

   The Nittany Lions, No. 69 in the latest Golfstat rankings, carded a final round of 4-over 292 over the 6,082-yard, par-72 River Landing layout for a 14-over 878 total. No. 81 East Tennessee State claimed runnerup honors at 21-over 885. The Bucs led Penn State by two shots after Thursday’s double round, but fell back with a final-round 301.

   Tournament co-hosts East Carolina, ranked 49^th, and North Carolina-Wilmington, ranked 125^th, finished  third and fourth, respectively. The Pirates had a final-round 299 to finish at 23-over 887 while the Seahawks were another four shots back at 891 after a final-round 296. No 189 Ohio University finished fifth at 900 after a final-round 302.

   Rogowicz, a two-time District One champion and two-time PIAA runnerup, struggled in the Nittany Lions’ last outing at the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla., although the sophomore’s teammates picked up as Penn State finished seventh against a tough field. East Carolina finished six shots ahead of Penn State in sixth place at the Hurricane.

   But Rogowicz, who just missed making match play at last summer’s U.S. Women’s Amateur at Rolling Green Golf Club in a playoff, was typically solid at River Landing, carding rounds of 72, 73 and 73 to finish tied for second in the individual standings at 2-over 218.

   The even-par round Rogowicz shot in the opening round was one of four 72s recorded by the Nittany Lions. And the fifth score, a 1-over 73 by sophomore Cara Basso, the 2012 PIAA Class AA champion at Villa Maria Academy, wasn’t far behind.

   Graduate student Kate Granahan, a former Parkland standout, finished in a tie for fourth at 3-over 219 after a final-round 73. Sophomore Lauren Waller, the runnerup at the 2014 PIAA Class AAA Tournament, finished tied for sixth at 4-over 220 after a final-round 75. Basso had Penn State’s low round in the final round, a 1-under 71, and finished tied for 11^th at 6-over 222.

   Freshman Madelein Herr, the former Council Rock North standout, finished tied for 17^th at 9-over 225 after a final-round 75. Herr was part of Penn State’s even-par quartet in the opening round, along with Rogowicz, Granahan and Waller.

   Penn State’s Ashni Dhruva, a freshman from Katy, Texas, competed as an individual and finished tied for 56^th at 241, struggling to an 85 in the final round.

   East Tennessee State’s Loy Hee Ying, a sophomore from Malaysia, claimed the individual title with a 3-under 213 total. Ying took control of the tournament with a sizzling 7-under 65 in the opening round before finishing up with rounds of 73 and 75.

   Ohio University’s Hailey Hrynewich, a senior from Muskegon, Mich., shared second place with Rogowicz at 2-over 218. Hrynewich had a final-round 75.

   North Carolina sent three of its players to compete as individuals and Mariana Ocano, a freshman from St. Petersburg, Fla., shared fourth place with Penn State’s Granahan at 3-over 219. Ocano posted a 1-over 73 in the final round.

   Joining Penn State’s Waller in the tie for sixth at 220 were a pair of East Carolina players, Lisa Pettersson, a junior from Sweden, and Siranon Shoomee, a freshman from Sanford, N.C. Pettersson had a final-round 76 while Shoomee surged up the leaderboard with the best effort of the final round, a 3-under 69.