South Korea’s M.J. Hur has the lead after two rounds of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, with Paula Creamer one stroke behind.
Hur birdied the 18th hole for a seven-under 64 heading into the final round. The 20-year-old had a 36-hole total of 11-under 131 in her quest for her second LPGA victory.
Hur, who won the Safeway event last year, actually had a chance for her second win last week, grabbing the halfway lead in the State Farm Classic in Illinois. She folded over the final 36 holes and finished tied for 16th, well behind winner Cristie Kerr, the first American to win on the women’s tour this year.
PHOTO: AFP
“I have a bad memory right now,” Hur said of last weekend’s slide. “I try to forget it and get good sleep tonight, and get good conditions tomorrow and focus on my ball. That’s all I want tomorrow.”
Creamer didn’t come into this week expecting much, playing for the first time since having surgery on her left thumb in late March.
The stakes are now higher. A second-round 65 that was capped by a birdie on the last hole at Seaview’s Bay Course has put her in contention for an eighth career win and her first since 2008.
“I mean, I’m not out there just on a Sunday stroll,” Creamer said. “I mean I want to win.”
There are a number of players who still have a shot.
Japan’s Ai Miyazato, a three-time winner on the Tour this year, was two shots off the lead, along with Australia’s Katherine Hull, who shot a tournament-best eight-under 63 playing early on Saturday morning.
Inbee Park, who has three top 10 finishes this year, and fellow South Korean Han Hee-won are three shots behind.
First-round leader Sherri Steinhauer, who missed all of last year following surgery on both hips, bogeyed the last two holes and was four shots off the lead, along with Morgan Pressel.
Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Lee Seon-hwa, who won the last ShopRite Classic before the tournament went on a three-year hiatus, were in a big group five shots back.
Taiwan’s Teresa Lu and Yani Tseng both carded 70s to be six shots off the lead on 137. Compatriots Amy Hung (72) and Candie Kung (69) were a further two shots back.
Creamer had seven birdies and one bogey in her second round, with the course not being affected by the wind until the afternoon. By then, the 23-year-old was doing interviews.
Creamer made six birdies in her first 12 holes. She wrapped up her round by making a big breaker on No. 18 and twirling her putter in her right hand, the one with the good thumb.
Her only bogey came on the par-three, 11th hole when she sailed a four-wood over the green into a bad lie.
Creamer was thrilled being so close to the lead.
“Honestly, coming into this week it’s all about just seeing how far I can go, seeing how much my thumb can handle,” she said.
The return has not been without pain. Creamer has been icing her thumb about 10 times a day and the thumb prevents her from hitting knockdown shots and causes problems when she hits into the wind.
Hull has not won since capturing the Canadian Women’s Open in 2008.
“I mean, I’ve kind of gone up and down in terms of my work ethic and my desire to win again too, as crazy as that sounds,” Hull said. “So I think I’ve got it figured out and I know what I want now, and I’ve set some goals, and yeah, it’s just a matter of executing now.”
Miyazato, who has a chance to take over the No. 1 ranking with a win, had six birdies and two bogeys on Saturday.
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