Yang in driver’s seat
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Pattaya - DEFENDING champion Amy Yang of South Korea fired a solid 69 to grab a one-stroke lead heading into the weekend rounds of the US$1.6-million Honda LPGA Thailand at the Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course yesterday.
The world No 12 rolled in five birdies against two bogeys to score a
two-day overall of nine-over-par 135, with Americans Jessica Korda and
overnight leader Lexi Thompson joining South Korea’s Q Baek close
behind in joint second on 136.
“After struggling for eight holes, it was a good birdie to turn the moment
tum. It was a real good one, I think the best of the day. Leading by one
shot isn’t much, and two more rounds is still a lot of golf. I’ll just keep patient.
It might be a challenge, but I’ll do my best,” said the 26-year-old reigning
champion.
American Korda scored the joint lowest round, a 66, thanks to a 12-foot
eagle putt on the 18th that made her a strong title contender at the par-72,
6,548-yard layout.
“ I was giving myself a ton of opportunities yesterday [so] 2-under was
kind of the worst that I could have shot.
“For the weekend, I’ll just hit good shots and try and make some putts
and give myself the opportunities of these last two days,” said the 22-year-
old, daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda.
Thompson, who went teed off in the morning with a one-shot lead,
swapped three birdies with three bogeys to finish on even par. Baek, a
one-time LPGA winner on home soil two years ago, carded four birdies and
three bogeys for a 71.
“It wasn’t as solid, obviously, as yesterday. I hit a lot of good, solid iron
shots, but probably just didn’t aim at the pins like I did yesterday,” said the
world No 4 Thompson. A stroke further behind at joint fifth were last
week’s Australian Open winner Haru Nomura, who also hit a round low of
66, and three South Koreans – Chella Choi, Chun In-gee and Jang Ha-na,
winner in Florida earlier this year.
Thai No 1 Pornanong Phatlum was disappointed to end with a double
bogey, but despite that she finally lived up to expectations by firing a 70
to move into a tie for 16th with a total two-under-par 142, the best Thai
score at the midway stage.
“I went for the flag positions more today and it paid off. I was playing well
all day except on that 18th hole, where I double-bogeyed. I was too cautious
with my chip-shots and couldn’t get the ball where I wanted,” said
Pornanong, whose roller-coaster round featured four birdies, one eagle
on the 10th hole and two bogeys.
“I’ll have to play more aggressive in the next round as the greens aren’t
as hard as last year. My goal is either to win or finish in the top 10 here for
the first time. Anything can happen on this course,” added the world No
39.
While the national No 1 had a good day, Thai No 2 Ariya Jutanugarn fared
less well. She had two points belatedly deducted from her score for showing
up late at the first tee on Thursday after a referee’s review. The first-
round score of the 2013 runner-up was changed from 71 to 73 and, comฌ
bined with yesterday’s score of 73, she will start the third round on a total
146.
There was good news for Xi Yu Lin of China, who hit a hole-in-one at the
186-yard par-three hole 16, which earned her a Honda Accord worth
over Bt1.6 million. It was the first time in the 10-year history of the tournaฌ
ment that a player had hit an ace to win a car.
“I saw my ball land on the slope, and I saw it start coming back, and I
thought, hmm, it’s going to be close to the pin. And I hear my caddie sayฌ
ing, ‘Let’s just get in the hole.’ I’m like, no way. Then when I picked the tee
up and walked to the back, and I really just couldn’t believe it,” said Xi, who
landed her second ace after similar success at the Canadian Open last
year. She ended the day in joint ninth after hitting a five-under-par 139.
Leading second-round scores at the Siam Country Club:
135 - Amy Yang (KOR)
136 - Jessica Korda (USA), Q Baek (KOR), Lexi Thompson (USA)
138 - Haru Nomura (JPN), Chella Choi (KOR), In Gee Chun (KOR), Ha Na Jang
(KOR)
139 - Xi Yu Lin (CHN), Pernilla Lindberg (SWE), Jenny Shin (KOR)
140 - Kim Kaufman (USA), Eun-Hee Ji (KOR), Minjee Lee (NZ)
141 - Hee Young Park (KOR)
