Jutanugarn sisters seven behind leader
Talley second, Jutanugarn sisters seven adrift
>> ADELAIDE: South Korea’s Ko Jin-Young extended her lead to three shots after the second round of the Australian Women’s Open at the Kooyonga Golf Club course yesterday.
Ko Jin-Young, 22, carded a threeunder-par 69 in morning conditions to go with her first-round 65 to be at 10-under 134 as the afternoon players battled in the sea breeze.
The closest at seven under was American LPGA Tour rookie Emma Talley, who had a second-round 69, also taking advantage of the benign morning conditions.
Two major winners, Shin Jiyai, who momentarily held the lead when she birdied yesterday’s first three holes, and Yoo Sun-Young were joint-third at six under.
Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya again shot identical scores as both hit an even par 72 to stay at tied eighth on three-under 141 along with four other players including the past two Australian Open winners, Japan’s Haru Nomura (71) and South Korea’s Jang Ha-Na (69).
World No.7 Ariya, who teed off at the 10th hole, had a double bogey at 11 but bounced back with birdies on 13 and 4. Her big sister Moriya, who is ranked 21st in the world, had four birdies and four bogeys.
World No.20 Ko, who has logged 14 birdies in her opening two rounds, was by far the best player over the first two days.
She had started poorly, dropping shots at her first two holes, the 10th and 11th on the course, and losing the lead to compatriot Shin.
But she lit up the front nine, birdieing the first three holes from the parfive first, each time hitting it close, and regained control of the tournament.
“Yes, I like this course style,” said Ko, who has won 10 tournaments in Korea and 14 overall.
“Korean courses [are] more long hit and narrow and then [I] have to get longer distance and then straight shots, but here is wider, so stress is less.”
American world No.9 Cristie Kerr was at one under while third-ranked Ryu So-Yeon of South Korea faded with a 75 to be even-par overall.
New Zealand’s former world No.1 Lydia Ko made a run, getting to six under but then strung four consecutive bogeys together on the back nine to fall off the leaderboard, finishing at two-under 142.
Australian veteran and five-time Australian champion Karrie Webb had five bogeys and a double bogey on her way to a 78 and missed the cut. Webb, who had played just once since September, and that was in a team event, has said she will play a part-time schedule this year.
Among those to have the weekend off are Canadian Brooke Henderson, Cheyenne Woods and Mel Reid, as well as Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, who followed a 68 with a disastrous 82.