Stacy Lewis of the US kept her cool on rock-hard greens in sweltering desert heat to grab a commanding three-shot lead after the second round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Friday.
Joint pacesetter overnight with compatriot and good friend Brittany Lincicome, the 26-year-old ground out a three-under 69 to take control of the opening women’s major of the season.
With the unseasonably high spring temperatures reaching almost 39oC at Mission Hills Country Club, Lewis posted a nine-under total of 135.
Photo: AFP
Lincicome, who won her first major title at this tournament two years ago, offset four birdies with four bogeys for a level-par 72 to share second place with fellow American Jane Park (70) and defending champion Yani Tseng of Taiwan (68).
South Korea’s Amy Yang and 2007 winner Morgan Pressel of the US were knotted at five-under after carding 69s, while Michelle Wie of the US, who hit a young girl on the head with an errant drive at the first, was a further two shots back after a 67.
Taiwan’s Candie Kung was in joint 59th position after a 70 gave her a 148 two-round total, while compatriots Teresa Lu (75) and Amy Hung (77) missed the cut.
Lewis, bidding for her first LPGA victory, was delighted to eke out a three-under score on a tough day for scoring with difficult pin positions on lightning-fast greens.
“I made some really good up-and-downs and stayed really patient on the back nine,” she told reporters after mixing four birdies with a lone bogey. “I was fortunate to get away with a couple of pars that I probably shouldn’t have and I posted a good number, I think.”
Because of the scorching heat of Thursday’s opening round, each of the sun-baked greens was watered for four minutes overnight and Lewis could tell the difference after her morning tee-off.
“It definitely came back,” she said of the greens. “We actually had ball marks this morning and I didn’t have those at all yesterday, but the hole locations today were tucked in the corners and they were hard to get to, so I think it played a little tougher this morning.”
With cooler temperatures and strengthening winds forecast for the weekend, world No. 1 Tseng was banking on the greens again being softened overnight.
“Hopefully, they’ll put some water on the greens because they were like rocks today,” the long-hitting Taiwanese said. “It was really hard to hit it close on the greens. You just need to be patient.”
“I told myself I try my best every shot, and focus on what I can do and what I can control, and always think positive,” she said.
If Tseng is not feeling much pressure, it may be because her main goal this year is to win the US Open, the only Grand Slam event she has not won in her young career.
She won the LPGA Championship in 2008 and the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the British Open last year.
Life after winning a major has been a lot harder, she said, because “you have more interviews, more people following” and she has also had a lot more expectations of herself, but she has grown more comfortable in the role this year, because she has become more accustomed to being the target of people’s attention.
“This year I really enjoy what I’m doing,” Tseng said. “I’m having so much fun. I enjoy playing the pro-am and I enjoy the tournament. So I don’t feel any expectations. I feel like I’ve been here for a long time.”
As to her strategy for the final two rounds, she said it was fairly simple.
“Keep smiling and have fun,” she said.
Wie, who produced three top 10 finishes in her first four appearances at Mission Hills as a teenager, was elated after vaulting into contention for a maiden major victory.
“It was hot today, seemed like it was even more humid than yesterday, but I’m glad to have shot five-under with tough conditions and I’m really looking forward to the weekend,” the 21-year-old Hawaiian said.
Wie was mortified after pulling her tee shot at the par-four first and then watching as her ball bounced off a cart path and then back out on to the fairway via a young girl’s head.
“I never felt so horrible about a shot, ever,” Wie said. “I just felt really bad. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be with her until the paramedics came, but hopefully she’s fine.”
World No. 3 Cristie Kerr, who followed her opening 78 with a 72, was the most notable player to miss the cut, her first premature exit in 37 major appearances.
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