World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan shot a four-under 68 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Hall of Fame inductee Pak Se-ri after the second round of the Kia Classic.
Tseng, tied for the first-round lead after a 67, had a nine-under 135 total on La Costa’s Legends Course.
Tseng holed out from a greenside bunker for birdie on the par-four 10th, then chipped in for another birdie from just in front of the green on the par-four 13th. She also birdied the par-four 18th.
Photo: AFP
“I think that’s the first time I chipped in from a bunker as a professional,” Tseng said. “I was really happy about that.”
She had three consecutive birdies starting at the third hole, but bogeyed No. 7 and No. 8.
“I made some stupid mistakes on the front nine,” Tseng said. “After that I stayed patience and told myself I had nine holes to make some birdies.”
The 23-year-old Taiwanese star won the LPGA Founders Cup last Sunday in Phoenix for her 14th LPGA Tour title and second in four events this year. She led the tour last season with seven victories — including major victories in the LPGA Championship and Women’s British Open — and finished the year with 12 worldwide titles.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Amy Hung just made the cut after shooting a bogey-free one-under 71 to finish the day tied for 61st at five-over 149.
However, compatriot Candie Kung was not so lucky. She carded six bogeys to finish with a four-over 76, missing the cut by one stroke with a two-day total of six-over 150.
Pak had a 66, birdieing six of her first eight holes. The South Korean star won the 2010 Bell Micro LPGA Classic for the last of her 25 LPGA Tour victories.
“I worked pretty well on my putting,” Pak said. “Overall, I’m making a lot of putts, but at the same time, I had a lot of great shots, too.”
Tseng will play with Pak in the third round, but said she won’t be nervous playing with her idol.
“Especially as an Asian golfer we all looked up to her,” Tseng said. “She was one of the first to have success and we all wanted to be like her. She showed us we can play on the LPGA Tour like her.”
Shin Ji-yai, Alison Walshe, Jodi Ewart and Caroline Hedwall were five-under. Walshe shot 66, Ewart 69, Shin 71, and Hedwall 72.
Additional reporting by Staff writer
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