Defending champion Yani Tseng of Taiwan shot a 6-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead in yesterday’s storm-interrupted second round of the Women’s Australian Open at Commonwealth Golf Club.
Tseng had a two-round total of 9-under 137. South Korean Ji Eun-hee was two shots back after a 70, while No. 1 Shin Ji-yai was also at 7-under when the storm forced her from the course after 15 holes.
Jennifer Song of the US, who shared the first-round lead with Shin, shot 73 and was three shots behind Tseng in fourth place.
Photo: EPA
The 58 players who did not complete their second rounds will begin play at 7:30am today, with the 36-hole cut to be made following the completion of the round.
Karrie Webb, who has won the tournament four times, was 2-under with one hole left to play in her second round.
Veteran Laura Davies shot a 76 and was tied for 43rd at 3-over, 12 shots behind Tseng.
Tseng, who moved up to No. 5 in the world rankings after winning two major titles last year, was out early yesterday and had six birdies and no bogeys as she continued to eye Shin’s No.1 ranking.
“I was trying last year but I could not get there,” Tseng said. “This year I have a very good chance.”
“She [Shin] is always on top and very consistent. I never expect she is going to miss any shot. That’s how she is. She is a very good player and good for golf too,” Tseng said.
Phoenix Open
AP, SCOTTSDALE, Arizona
Bill Haas, Jason Bohn, Tom Gillis and Champions Tour player Tom Lehman shot 6-under 65s in chilly conditions on Thursday to share the lead in the suspended first round of the Phoenix Open.
The start of play was delayed four hours because of heavy frost at TPC Scottsdale and only the scheduled morning starters completed the round.
Another long frost delay was expected yesterday, likely forcing most of the second round to today and possibly setting up a 36-hole finish tomorrow.
Lucas Glover was a stroke back along with Chris Couch and Ben Crane.
Phil Mickelson, coming off a one-stroke loss to Bubba Watson last week at Torrey Pines in San Diego, topped the group at 67.
“It wasn’t too bad,” said Mickelson, who played his final nine holes in short sleeves. “I expected the golf course to be frozen and balls to be bouncing on the greens quite a ways. It played terrific. The greens were receptive.”
Haas was amazed that his playing partner didn’t need a sweater on the final nine.
“I don’t know how he was doing it because I didn’t think it was that warm out,” Haas said. “Better than it was in the morning, but it’s still pretty cold.”
Watson, also playing in the group, started play with a ski cap and kept his hands warm with mittens between shots. He shot a 70.
Qatar Masters
AP, DOHA
South Africa’s Retief Goosen shot a 3-under-par 69 to take a one-shot lead on Thursday in the first round of the Qatar Masters, in which several players couldn’t finish due to darkness.
With winds reaching 40kph at the Doha Golf Club, the two-time US Open champion managed five birdies on his 42nd birthday to finish one shot ahead of defending champion Robert Karlsson of Sweden, Goosen’s compatriot Darren Fitchardt and Richard Finch of England.
Karlsson, who won the European Tour’s season-ending Dubai World Championship and was fifth in Abu Dhabi last month, needed a closing par five to match Goosen but had to settle for a bogey.
The windy conditions seemed to unsettle some of the bigger names, with top-ranked Lee Westwood carding a 1-over-par 73 and Steve Stricker of the US carding a 76. Only eight of the players to finish managed to break par.
Seven of the 132-player field did not finish their rounds, including Niclas Fasth of Sweden, who was 2-under after 15 holes.
They were due to finish their rounds early yesterday.
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