Brittany Lincicome squandered a chance to win a second major title at the LPGA Championship last month. However, a best-of-second-round 65 put the US golfer in pole position at the halfway stage of the Evian Championship.
Lincicome, who is to turn 29 on Friday, made light of the trickier second day’s windy conditions with a flawless six-birdie round and a 10-under-par 132 total put her one ahead of Kim Hyo-joo and three better than Hur Mi-jung.
The Florida golfer led after the second and third rounds at the LPGA Championship — but went on to lose the title in a play-off against South Korea’s Inbee Park. Now she hopes to seal the deal and set a second major alongside the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
“I felt really at ease today,” the world No. 28 said.
“I’ve had a good few weeks and it’s built my confidence. I had a rough couple of years, but I’m back just trying to enjoy it and play like a 10-year-old again,” she added.
BATTLING
A 61 was always going to be a hard act to follow, but 19-year-old Kim stayed close to the top with a battling second-round 72. Hur, a fellow South Korean, shot 69.
Kim’s opening round was the best ever in a major, but the blustery conditions set a stiffer test and, starting from the 10th, the three-time winner and money-list leader on this season’s Korean LPGA Tour was three-over-par for the round at the turn.
She then birdied her 10th and 11th holes, and then rebounded from a bogey at the fifth by holing a 21-foot putt for birdie at the final hole.
“I was a little angry with the start today,” Kim said. “I went out trying to erase the first round from my thoughts. I wanted to treat it as a new day and it still feels good to be right up there.”
Hur had five birdies in her two-under round.
IN THE HUNT
Defending champion Suzann Pettersen also stayed in the hunt with a 69 for six-under-par, the same mark as the former world No. 1 Karrie Webb, who had shot 71. World No. 1 Stacy Lewis was another shot back on four-under following a 67.
Ryu So-yeon, the 2011 US Women’s Open Champion, was disqualified. She damaged her putter on the fourth hole by slamming it against her shoe and bending the shaft of the club — thus changing its playing characteristics.
The South Korean, who had opened with a 70, subsequently used the club to tap in her ball. This is a violation of rule 4-3b — using a club that was damaged other than in the normal course of play.
Taiwan’s Candie Kung shot a two-over-par 74 on Friday to take a share of 32nd place with a one-over total, while Yani Tseng missed the cut after carding a four-over 76 in both the first and second round.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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