Kang one shot clear in Busan
American fires second consecutive 67, overnight leader Minjee Lee slips to tied fourth
>> BUSAN: Danielle Kang shot a second consecutive five-under-par 67 yesterday for a one-stroke lead at the BMW Ladies Championship, putting her in a strong position to win her second tournament in two weeks on the LPGA Tour.
The American player, who won last week in Shanghai, had seven birdies and two bogeys for a 10-under 134 total on the LPGA International Busan course.
Na Hee-Won (67) birdied two of her final three holes and was tied for second place with Lee SeungYeon (68).
Four players were tied for fourth, including top-ranked Ko Jin-Young (69) and first-round leader Minjee Lee (70). They were two strokes behind.
“I’m hitting it well. Hitting it straight. Chipping well. Putting well,” said Kang, who grew up in California but spent several years living in Busan as a child because of her father’s job.
“So honestly, I’m really not paying attention to other people. I think that’s one of the things that I’ve gotten better at. I have not looked at the leaderboard once.”
Nelly Korda shot 70 and was at five under.
Kristen Gillman aced the parthree 13th hole and will have to make arrangements to collect her BMW car. That was the prize for a hole-in-one on the 13th, on her way to a 71 and a three-under 141 total. The LPGA Tour said it was the American’s first hole-in-one in competition.
She hit a 4-hybrid from 180 yards. Off the tee, Gillman and caddie John Killeen thought the ball got caught in the wind. But when she heard the crowd reaction, she knew the ball had gone in the hole.
“It was nice to finally have my first hole-in-one,” Gillman said.
Gillman won a BMW 7 Series sedan, an upgrade from the Toyota Camry she currently drives around Austin, Texas.
“I didn’t even look at the car because I didn’t even know I made a hole-in-one,” Gillman said.
Brooke Henderson shot 68 and was also at three under, while Charley Hull (69) was two under.
There is no cut in the limitedfield event of 84 players. AP
LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES
(par-72)
134 — Danielle Kang (USA) 67-67
135 — Na Hee-Won (KOR) 68-67, Lee SeongYeon (KOR) 67-68
136 — Jang Ha-Na (KOR) 69-67, Lee So-Mi (KOR) 68-68, Ko Jin-Young (KOR) 67-69, Minjee Lee (AUS) 66-70
137 — Kim Ye-Jin (KOR) 71-66, Yu Liu (CHN) 68-69
Selected scores
143 — Moriya Jutanugarn (THA) 73-70 144 — Jasmine Suwannapura (THA) 73-71 146 — Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) 74-72