Ai Miyazato, the Japanese star chasing a first LPGA Tour title, hit a second round 66 at the Evian Masters on Friday to grab a share of the lead.
On nine under par 135, she shares the halfway lead with Wales’ Becky Brewerton and South Korea’s Choi Na-yeon, who both shot 68. They trio lead by one from South Korea’s Kim In-kyung (69), with France’s Karine Icher producing a fine 69 to stand in the group of five players tied for fifth place on seven under par.
Taiwan’s Teresa Lu shot an even-par 72 to sit on one-over, while compatriot Candie Kung shot a 74 to be even-par after two rounds. World No. 2 Yani Tseng was a disappointing three-over after her even-par second round.
PHOTO: AP
Miyazato, 24, is in her fifth season on the LPGA circuit, and this is her sixth appearance at Evian.
Brewerton, one of three first-round leaders, broke free of the field with three birdies and a long eagle putt at the seventh in an outward nine of 31. She picked up another shot at the 11th but then bogeyed the 16th and 17th.
Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson made a bold move with a 66 to join the tie fifth place. The highlights in a nine-birdie round included a chip-in from 20 feet at the 11th, and she then holed monster putts for more birdies at the 14th and 16th. She would have been even closer if she hadn’t three-putted the short 17th for bogey.
After an opening 75, world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa made a stuttering start with bogeys at the first two holes. But she hit back with five birdies for a 69 and a level par total.
US teenager Michelle Wie, twice a runner-up at Evian, improved her position with five birdies in a 71 for one under par. But France’s Gwladys Nocera, who lives in Lausanne and practices regularly at Evian, was a huge letdown. Last year’s European No. 1 missed the cut after a 76 for seven over par.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
■SAS MASTERS
REUTERS, BARSEBACK, SWEDEN
Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez had another good day with the putter on Friday, firing a second consecutive five-under 68 to hold the halfway lead in the SAS Scandinavian Masters.
The 39-year-old, seeking his fourth European Tour title, finished on 10-under 136, one ahead of first-round leader Lee Slattery of Britain.
Slattery (70) endured a one-hour suspension for the second day in a row after lightning again held up play. Briton Richie Ramsay (70), Swede Martin Erlandsson (70) and Pablo Larrazabal (71) were joint third on 140.
Gonzalez, who is 153rd on the money-list, has benefited from what he did on a short break after failing to qualify for last week’s British Open.
“I have a farm about 600km south of Buenos Aires called Handicap Cero, an education center and golf academy for poor kids of around 10-15 years old,” Gonzalez said. “Last week I was working nearly 12 hours a day felling trees and stacking timber. It’s all worth it. I want to give something back for what golf has given me.”
Another player striving to help youngsters is tournament favorite Henrik Stenson. The world No. 7 has pledged his winnings this week to a foundation he has set up for young Swedish golfers.
Things have not gone according to plan for the Swede on the course though and he needed to birdie his final hole to make the cut with a 74 for 147, one over.
■CANADIAN OPEN
REUTERS, OAKVILLE, ONTARIO
Jerry Kelly of the US dodged lightning, rain and another day of delays to take a one-shot lead at the weather-battered Canadian Open on Friday.
Kelly began the day by completing his first round then managed to squeeze in 15 holes of his second, mixing five birdies with a bogey to get 11-under before play was finally halted, capping another miserable day at Glen Abbey.
No one managed to complete the second round, but several players made dramatic moves up the leaderboard.
Australian Nathan Green opened with four consecutive birdies to sit on six under through 12 holes, one stroke behind the leader alongside Colombia’s Camilo Villegas, American Tim Herron and Briton Martin Laird at 10-under.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
RSS