LPGA
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng maintained her steady play at the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout on Friday, carding her second consecutive two-under 69 to put her in a five-way tie for sixth after two rounds.
Tseng, who started her round on the back nine, had two bogeys and one birdie in her first eight holes, but then fired three straight birdies on the par-5 18th and par-4 first and second holes to get to four-under for the tournament.
Photo: AFP
That’s where she finished after closing her round with eight consecutive pars, leaving her three shots behind the leader, Caroline Masson of Germany.
Unlike in recent weeks when she has had trouble getting the ball on the green, Tseng hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation in each of the first two rounds and said consistency is important on the Las Colinas Country Club course in Irving, Texas.
“You just need to be patient on this course, and I think I did for those two days, and I just need to make some more putts,” she said. “I felt good out there and look forward for next two days.”
For Tseng, who has finished no better than 28th in her past four LPGA events and fallen to fourth in the world rankings after starting the year as world No. 1, being in the hunt on the weekend will be more than welcome. She said her main focus at the moment is not her ranking, but simply competing.
“I worried too much the last two years, so I’m not worrying anything about No. 1 or anything about ranking. Now I just want to win a tournament. Winning a tournament, if I’m No. 1 is good. If not I’m still happy,” said Tseng, who has not won on the LPGA tour since taking the top spot in the Kia Classic in March last year.
“So just try to go out there and try to win a tournament is the most important thing for me now,” she said.
Taiwan’s two other players in the tournament, Candie Kung and Amy Hung, both made the cut. Kung was tied for 36th with a two-day total of even-par 142, along with World No. 2 Stacy Lewis of the US and seven others. Hung was tied for 53rd at two-over 144.
Masson, who followed her opening round 64 with an even-par 71, had a one-shot lead over Carlota Ciganda of Spain, last year’s Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year.
World No. 1 Inbee Park of South Korea was tied for third at 5-under after two rounds with Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Kathleen Ekey of the US.
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