World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan fired a two-under 70 on Friday to grab a one-shot lead over five players, as the second round of the LPGA Founders Cup produced a logjam near the top of the leaderboard.
A day after she played one stretch of seven holes in seven-under, Tseng delivered a more sedate round of three birdies and one bogey on the Wildfire Golf Club course.
After teeing off on 10, she parred her way through the back nine — the same stretch where she caught fire on Thursday — making her first birdie of the day at the par-four first.
“I was like: ‘Oh, yesterday I make birdie here. How could I make par?’ And it was not even close,” Tseng said. “A couple holes, I was trying to make safe par, but yesterday it was so easy.”
After her only bogey of the day at the par-three sixth, the Taiwanese star birdied seven and eight.
“I played really well today. I made lots of good shots, good drives, but I just didn’t make enough putts,” Tseng said. “But had a good stroke. Some of it was really hard to read, but it’s good I make good stroke instead of bad stroke. So I enjoy out there. It’s good to play in the morning. It’s not too hot.”
Tseng, coming off a mammoth season last year that included 12 global titles — seven of them on the LPGA tour and two of them at major championships — last month defended her LPGA title in Thailand.
Tseng said she had a lot of work left to do, but she was happy with her game and looking forward to the weekend.
“The next two days are very important, but I will keep the same strategy, be aggressive and try to make more birdies as I can and play smart, and two more days to come,” she said.
Meanwhile, her Taiwanese compatriots Amy Hung and Candie Kung failed to make the cut, set at even-par. Kung shot a second-round 76 to finish with a two-day total of seven-over 151, while Hung carded a 75 on Friday to finish at 10-over 154.
South Korea’s world No. 2 Choi Na-yeon carded a 69 to head the group on 136.
She was joined by South Korea’s I.K. Kim, who climbed up the leaderboard with a 66 and compatriot Meena Lee, who carded a 67. Japan’s Mika Miyazato posted a 67 and compatriot Ai Miyazato a 68 to complete the group sharing second.
“I’m very satisfied what I did today,” Choi said. “The weather is good like yesterday, but I heard tomorrow and Sunday the weather will be a little cold and windy, so I have to prepare for that. I think I’m in good position right now, but I have two more rounds.”
Defending champion Karrie Webb of Australia carded a 69 and was among a group of six players lying two shots off the pace on 137 that also included former world No. 1 Shin Ji-yai (71). Another half-dozen players were on 138.
Additional reporting by Staff writer
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