Waynesburg grad Rachel Rohanna, fellow Symetra Tour competitors concerned for future

When news broke Tuesday that the USGA canceled two of its amateur events and will modify qualifying for the U.S. men’s and women’s opens, Rachel Rohanna took notice.

Rohanna, a Waynesburg High School graduate and player on the Symetra Tour, wondered: If the USGA already canceled events set for April and May, what might happen to the Symetra Tour schedule? The LPGA’s feeder tour played one event before having the next two postponed because of the covid-19 pandemic, and Rohanna saw Tuesday’s announcements — which later included PGA Tour events being canceled into May and the postponement of the PGA Championship — as a possible dark omen for her season.

NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA and LPGA players also are “out of work” at the moment. But those athletes — for the most part — can fall back on six-, seven- and, in some cases, eight-figure salaries.

Symetra Tour players don’t have that luxury. Though prize money has increased on the tour in recent years, only 25 players made at least $50,000 last season.

Those toiling on the Symetra Tour often carry (or cart) their own bags, carpool to events and stay with host families. All to save a few precious dollars.

The loss of events could mean hardship for some players.

“A lot of our money is spent in the offseason (practicing), and we try to make it back during the season,” said Canada native Rebecca Lee-Bentham, who returned to the Symetra Tour after a four-year hiatus. “So for some who don’t make a lot, it could be straining.”

Rohanna has some cushion. Her husband, 2008 PIAA Class AA wrestling silver medalist Ethan Virgili, runs a family butcher shop. He and Rohanna also raise beef cattle and cultivate farmland in Washington and Greene counties. Still, she said, their businesses aren’t year-round ventures, and they rely on her golf for part of their income.

She felt the crunch two years ago, when she took maternity leave from the tour.

“It’s definitely affecting us,” she said. “The butcher shop is open only half the year. The cattle for us has been more of a long-term investment. I’m not getting any paychecks from my cows right now.”

Several Symetra Tour players, Rohanna among them, have sponsors to help offset their playing, equipment and travel expenses.

Mexico’s Alejandra Llaneza, who represented her country in golf at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has Office Depot as her primary sponsor. She is worried the economic impact of the pandemic could have a negative effect on sponsorships.

“I consider myself very lucky to have them, but even that becomes uncertain when we don’t know when we will start playing again,” Llaneza said via email from her homeland. “The economy is suffering, too, so sponsorships can be compromised.”

Rohanna said she feels for the sponsors, too. They support players to have their logos and products seen on the golf course, and she said she would like nothing more than to be out there representing them.

She understands, however, the possible ramifications of a prolonged downturn in the economy.

“(Sponsors) still have to worry about their industry and what it’s like for them,” she said. “They might say, ‘We don’t have the money for that now.’ And that’s not their fault.”

Lee-Bentham said she believes most sponsors will be understanding and continue their support. That is of little comfort to players who don’t get a lot of sponsorship dollars.

“Some players do rely heavily on sponsors,” she said. “From my experience, the girls are kind of just scrambling their own way, whether it’s saving from previous tournaments or family support or support from friends.”

Travel also has become an issue. Like the LPGA, the Symetra Tour draws players from all over the world, and many countries have imposed limited crossing in and out of their borders.

If foreign players leave the U.S. and go home, how long before they can come back? Being in the comfort of family is nice, but players could see their games affected.

“Many of us have our coaches in the USA,” Llaneza said, “so if borders close or there’s more restrictions, we will spend more time without seeing them.

“Also, some of us have bases in the U.S. where we practice, so we have to choose to be there or with family, and many of us chose to go back home.”

Being home will have at least some advantages for Rohanna. The weather in Western Pennsylvania is beginning to warm, affording more practice time. And if she wants to hit balls, she simply walks out her front door and pounds them into the fields surrounding her home.

Lee-Bentham might not be so lucky. She recently returned home to Toronto, but, she said, a lot of golf facilities there are shut down or haven’t opened yet, which significantly would impact her practice time.

On the plus side, after the postponement of two events, one in March and one in April, the Symetra Tour doesn’t have another event scheduled until the weekend of May 7. But, given the events of the past few days, even tournaments nearly two months down the road might be in jeopardy.

So Symetra Tour players, like other pro athletes, wait in limbo, hoping the games return and, with them, the paychecks.

Llaneza said all anyone can do is make the best of it.

“We are all kind of quietly awaiting what will come next,” she said. “It is making me look at what’s truly important, like being more patient, kind and present with family and friends and anyone who may feel like they need to talk.

“It is also making us not take things for granted and respect the fact that our plans are not set in stone. Things change. Life can throw curves, and this is our chance to grow together and appreciate the present moment.”