Sung-hyun joins Lindberg in second-round clubhouse lead

CALIFORNIA: Park Sunghyun (pic) eagled the par-four 15th hole en route to an “awesome” eight-under 64 and a share of the second-round clubhouse lead at the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, California.

South Korean Sung-hyun, the US Women’s Open champion, joined Swede Pernilla Lindberg at 12-under 132 on another morning of ideal conditions at Mission Hills on Friday.

Lindberg, the first round leader, followed her opening 65 with a bogey-free 67.

The leading duo had a substantial five-shot advantage over Englishwomen Jodi Ewart Shadoff (67) and Charley Hull (68) and American Amy Olson (68) with half the field back in the clubhouse.

Self-coached Sung-hyun said she had not even been aware of her score.

“I just was so focused on my game today,” she said.

“Today the shots were awesome. I just felt really good about my driver.”

But it was a wedge shot that brought about the highlight of her day at the 15th, where her approach from 102 yards landed beyond the hole, took a couple of bounces and then rolled back into the cup.

Not long after her eagle, American Morgan Pressel replicated the feat, her ball landing short of the hole and one-hopping into the cup.

Pressel shot 69 for one-over 145. American Lexi Thompson (72) struggled on the greens but almost holed her eagle approach shot at the last, tapping in for birdie to trail by eight shots.

A more alert Thompson played the first two rounds this week with fellow American Michelle Wie (67), who made the cut in a nice comeback after an opening 75 during which she suffered dizziness.

She joked after her first round that blurred vision had left her seeing several balls as she stood over some shots.

“I definitely saw one golf ball today, which was good,” she said, adding that she had tried to conserve energy.