Smith weathering challenges to lead in U.S. Women’s Open
Sarah Jane Smith outpaced the thunderstorms and the rest of the field at the U.S. Women’s Open in Birmingham, Ala.
The Australian extended her lead to four strokes after a second straight 5-under-par 67 Friday at Shoal Creek. Smith got her round in before a 2hour, 49-minute delay caused by thunderstorms, weather that ultimately forced play to be halted with a little daylight left.
Now, she enters the weekend leading a major championship, unfamiliar territory, but also with 36 holes down.
Other contenders including Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn still must finish the second round, which will be completed Saturday.
Half the field didn’t finish the round. When they do, the top 60 scores and ties will qualify players for the third round.
Smith is at 10-under 134 heading into the weekend. Jutanugarn had an opening birdie to move to 6-under through eight holes. Jeongeun6 Lee fell back to 2-under with a second-day 75. Korean-born Su-Hyun Oh shot 68 and is also 6-under.
Among notables, world No. 1 Inbee Park shot 71 and was at 3-under; Michelle Wie was at 2-under; Stanford golfer Albane Valenzuela was at even par; and Redwood City teenager Lucy Li followed up her first-round 72 with a 74 and was projected to make the cut. ⏩ Canadian Brooke Henderson withdrew from the U.S. Women’s Open for personal reasons before the second round began.
A USGA statement says she left to be with her family in Ottawa, but didn’t elaborate. She shot a 1-over 73 in the first round Thursday.
PGA Tour: Joaquin Niemann made an 8-foot birdie putt on his final hole to share the lead with Kyle Stanley in the Memorial at Dublin, Ohio.
Tiger Woods hit the ball well enough to be up there with them, except for missing five putts inside 7 feet.
Niemann is a 19-year-old from Chile, and he already has a pair of top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. On a soft course yielding low scores, he made seven birdies to join Stanley (66) at 11-under 133.
They were two shots ahead of Cal alum Byeong Hun An (67). Jason Day had another 68 and was three back. Woods had to settle for a 67. He was six behind.
Lincicome to play PGA Tour event: Brittany Lincicome said that she will play in a PGA Tour event in July.
Lincicome, 32, said she was asked to play in the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky on July 19-22.
“I love competing with the guys,” Lincicome said. “I feel like I step up my game when I play with them. I play a little harder, try a little harder when I play against them. I always thought it would be cool to try.”
Other female pros who have played in a PGA Tour event include Wie, Annika Sorenstam, Suzy Whaley — all within the past 15 years — and, in 1935, Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Smoltz qualifies for Senior Open: Hall of Fame baseball pitcher John Smoltz qualified for the U.S. Senior Open, emerging from a three-man playoff in Peachtree City, Ga., to take the final spot.
Smoltz, 51, shot a 3-under 69 to get into the playoff and prevailed on the third extra hole.