It has been a tough couple of years for the Philippines’ youngest Epson Tour player Pauline del Rosario.
She’s not complaining, though.
At the age when most women are trying to adjust to “adulting,” the 24-year-old is trying to do that and run a professional golf career as well.
Right there with the best in the sport.
“It’s a competitive tour, everyone can shoot low scores and I think it’s a good place to train for the LPGA, which is the goal,” Del Rosario told Tribune Golf Plus.
Only on her sophomore year in Epson Tour — LPGA’s farm league — Del Rosario is hoping to one day score a card to the big league.
A normal tournament week would find Del Rosario traveling on Mondays and spending the next few days practicing on the venues.
Fridays to Sundays, tournament days, she buckles down to actual work, trying to catch a break and snare a first-ever tour title.
She went closer to her dreams last weekend when she finished tied for 18th at Circling Raven Championship in Worley, Idaho.
That was her best so far in the Tour since a T12 finish last year in the Four Winds Invitational.
“A normal off week is more freestyle, I rest and I see how my body is feeling before I choose what days to practice and workout,” Del Rosario continued.
Aside from the work she has to put into her game, standing in the way are players who are either as eager as she is to leap onto LPGA, or those who have been there already.
“No I don’t feel overwhelmed (by these players). I try to enjoy the competition and the moment,” she said.
“Seeing progress and the small improvements in my golf game makes me happy. I honestly still feel sad when I miss the cut knowing I could make it but that’s just another reminder I’ve got stuff to work on and improve.”
In fairness, she’s getting better. From her rookie year in 2022 where she made six cuts out of 17 starts, this year Del Rosario already made 10 in 16 tournaments.
Rough numbers, but still worth it for somebody who chose to move out of her comfort zone and compete on the big stage.
Already, her stint in the Epson Tour is paying off. Just last April, Del Rosario went home to collect the Caliraya Springs Championship in true big-fish-in-a-small-pond fashion.
“Toughest thing playing on the pro level would be strengthening and maintaining all aspects of the game at all times like physical, mental, emotional. So we are ready to compete week in and week out,” Del Rosario said.
“‘The grind never stops,’ is very true here.”
But Del Rosario is bent to just keep going. And that’s a good thing.
