ASSOCIATED PRESS Michelle Wie is five strokes off the lead heading into today's final round of the SBS Open at Turtle Bay Resort.

Rosales fights through
conditions

The second-round leader
overcomes unpredictable
weather and suspect advice

If Jennifer Rosales and caddie Donna Earley hit their marks in today's final round of the inaugural SBS Open, it's curtains for everyone else in the field.

The good news for the other 74 golfers who survived the cut at the end of yesterday's wind-blown second round: They don't always see eye to eye on distance and shot selection.

After Rosales birdied four of the final five holes to reclaim the lead by two shots over early finisher Reilley Rankin, she and her caddie had a friendly sparring session in the media center as Rosales toured her card.

What she saw left her feeling a bit surly, especially when she had to recount the four bogeys she managed in her up-and-down round, and why she let so many shots slip away after firing a bogey-free 18 holes on Thursday.

"Bad club, Donna," Rosales said of her bogey on the par-4 fifth.

"I'm not taking the blame on that one," Earley fired back as the two shared an easy laugh.

Onto the bogey on 10, where Rosales wanted to hit a 4-iron approach but Earley convinced her to use a 5-iron instead.

"I was so mad at her I just wanted to strangle her," Rosales said. "I wanted to hit a 4 because there was no way I was going to get there with a 5. We're arguing and she says, 'It's playing down (hill but into the wind).' So it was my fault, though, because I should stick with my original instincts."

But by the time they got to the 14th, all was forgiven. Earley gave Rosales the correct yardage from the fairway and the USC graduate stuck it close to begin her strong finish. She trailed Rankin by as many as two shots early on the back nine, before righting the ship with a 3-under 69 in uneasy conditions.

"I was getting frustrated and that does not help at all," Rosales said. "I was not in my routine, so I told my caddie to give me a good yardage that I could trust and I tried to hit it there. It started on 14 when I made a birdie. That kind of kept me going."

Rankin didn't have those problems. She was partnered with Michelle Wie in the wind and the rain that greeted the morning golfers. She was so excited to play with the 15-year-old wunderkind, Rankin finished with the best round of the day at 6-under 66. Her two-day total of 7-under 137 trails only Rosales' 9-under 135.

Rankin was asked if she liked playing in the wind.

"Yeah."

The follow-up question was: Did the South Carolina resident grow up playing in the wind?

"No, but I like however it is."

That's good, because the tradewinds brought showers and sunshine at different intervals throughout the day. Rankin took her rain clothes off and put them back on so often, she conceded her own caddie was ready to head to the house early on the back nine.

"I think I was driving my caddie nuts," Rankin said. "It was a little more challenging, but it makes it more fun."

Fun was not a word used by many who battled the Arnold Palmer-designed course at Turtle Bay Resort. Only nine golfers, including University of Hawaii graduate Cindy Rarick, broke 70.

Two of those who did, Cristie Kerr (68--138) and veteran Rosie Jones (69--139), found themselves alone in third and fourth, respectively. Wie is part of a three-golfer contingent that's tied for fifth at 4-under 140.

The Punahou School 10th-grader was within one shot of the lead before a pair of bogeys on the back nine left her with a second consecutive 70. Hee-Won Han also fired her second straight 70, while Lorena Ochoa, who followed her opening-round 68 with an even-par 72, rounds out the golfers who have a legitimate shot at tracking down Rosales.

"I wanted to be a little bit closer, but the way the winds are blowing I think 4 under is a good score," Wie said. "We'll see how it goes tomorrow."

Wie will be in the next-to-last threesome with Jones and Han. Wie was in the final group at the Nabisco Championship last year.

"Well, obviously, the Kraft Nabisco when I was in contention I was hitting the ball really good, but was not putting good," Wie said. "Tomorrow, I just have to focus on my putting and make all of my crucial putts that I have to make. I have to keep the ball in play and try to give myself a lot of birdie opportunities."

If Rosales is concerned Wie can catch her down the stretch, she gave no indication of it.

"I just worry about my game," Rosales said. "I don't care about anybody out here. It is too much to handle trying to think about everybody out here. I just tell myself, 'If it is yours, it is yours no matter what you do.' Just keep your head in the game and don't get ahead of it and be too confident."