South Korea’s Choi Na-yeon stretched her lead to two shots at the Jamie Farr Classic on Friday and went into the weekend looking for the third LPGA Tour victory of her career.
Choi followed an opening 64 with a 67 for an 11-under total of 131.
She was brimming with confidence as her decision to switch to a new putter after missing the cut at the LPGA Championship last week continued to pay off.
Choi has needed only 53 putts in 36 holes and was delighted with her bogey-free second round.
“I had confidence out there with my friend In-bee Park,” she said, speaking of her fellow South Korean. “We enjoyed it. No bogeys today, so I feel perfect.”
The two will play together for the third straight day in the final pairing on Saturday.
Taiwan’s Amy Hung carded a second-round 71 for 139, eight shots off the lead, while compatriot Candie Kung shot a 70 to sit a shot further back.
Park shot a 66, Christina Kim had a 67 and Alena Sharp a 68 to share second place on 133.
Park three-putted for a bogey at the 16th hole, then holed a bunker shot for eagle at 17.
“I was a little disappointed [with the bogey], but that eagle just washed that away,” Park said. “It gave me a lot of confidence going into the weekend that I’m that much closer to the leader.”
Kim has had an erratic year since her autobiographical book, Swinging From My Heels, came out.
She said players who have read it have given her positive feedback and she’s not worrying about sales.
“My publishers aren’t calling and saying: ‘This is the biggest mistake of our lives,’ so that’s a positive,” she said.
Canada’s Sharp has never finished better than seventh in her four-plus years on the LPGA Tour. She admitted she felt a little pressure at seeing her name on the leaderboard.
“I was a little nervous today,” the Canadian said. “I just wanted to get out and get started. Then I got into the way I felt yesterday — just really relaxed. I’m happy with the way my game is going into the weekend. I like my position.”
Kristy McPherson holed a wedge on the 18th hole for an eagle and a 68 to lead half a dozen players on 136.
She was joined by South Koreans Kim Song-hee (66) and Kim In-kyung (66), Spain’s Beatriz Recari (67), Stacy Prammanasudh (67) and Stacy Lewis (69).
Paula Creamer of the US, still playing in pain after thumb surgery, missed the cut.
“I’m very disappointed in how I played, but it’s two more rounds under my belt,” she said. “I’m getting used to getting out there and there’s some things I need to work on. It’s just the hard part is being able to work on them.”
She said she was trying now to focus less on rehabbing the injury and more on refining her game.
“I do have some thumb problems, but you just have to work through them,” she said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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