BEATRIZ RECARI TAKES LEAD IN CALIFORNIA'S KIA CLASSIC
FROM THE LPGA TOUR.COM WEBSITE
Spain’s Beatriz Recari (@BeatrizRecari) shot one of the best rounds of the day on Friday, a five-under 67, and took the lead after two days of play at the Kia Classic at Carlsbad, California.
Recari moved to 8-under par after her bogey-free, five birdie round and holds a one-shot lead over Rolex Rankings No. 11 Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) and World and LPGA Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb.
Catriona Matthew made the cut on the limit mark of 147 (75-72) but Laura Davies crashed out with 82-78 for 160
Recari has been the epitome of consistency over the past year and will make her 38th consecutive cut this weekend. She was one of three players in the 2012 season to make every cut in each start she made (27). The 25-year old said last season left her with a positive attitude heading into 2013 and it has shown in her results.
“Well, definitely the consistency gave me a lot of confidence because that definitely showed me that I was on the right track and doing the right things,” said Recari.
“Just in the winter I just focused on maybe raising the bar in my short game. I felt that maybe my short game wasn't at the high level that I wanted to have last year. I took a lot of positives from last year. I didn't win, which is something that I'm definitely looking forward to doing this year.”
Stick with it: Paula Creamer found herself searching for answers on the greens last season and tried to return to a familiar feeling she had earlier on in her career. She switched back to the two-ball model putter this past December, one she had used and won several times with on Tour.
“I used it probably for the first three years maybe on Tour, three and a half years, and then I kind of switched a couple times,” said Creamer. “I wanted to go back to something I was very comfortable with. It took me a while. I tried to go back to it sooner but I just couldn't do it. One of the reasons I switched was I had one and it got bent traveling and I never found one that I liked again, so I just kind of went away from it. Now it's good, I like it and it's back in the bag.”
Creamer ranked 34th in putts per greens in regulation and 44th in putting average last season and hopes the switch will prove some position change.
“I played with it at Swinging Skirts in Taiwan, so that was last December, so it's only been a couple months,” said Creamer. “But I decided after CME that I'm going to go back no matter what. No matter what happens, I'm not switching putters, I'm not doing anything, I'm just going to kind of grind through it with this one.”
Extra work: Karrie Webb found her form through her final nine holes and helped herself stay in contention heading into the weekend. The Australian is in pursuit of her 39th LPGA Tour victory.
“I hit it pretty similar to yesterday, probably just didn't make as many putts today as I did yesterday,” said Webb. “I think the pins are a little bit trickier, I found anyway, than yesterday. So I had a good last nine holes, I turned in 1 over but I felt like I was still playing pretty good. Three birdies on the back, so it was a pretty good round.”
Webb is coming off back-to-back T18 finishes in Singapore and Phoenix and said some extra analytical work this week has helped piece things together.
“It's sort of come together,” said Webb. “Put some hard work in at the beginning of the week because I wasn't super happy with the way I've been hitting it and watching video and emailing the video and lessons over the phone. But it's nice to feel like I know where the ball's going.”
Local advantage: Three-time LPGA Tour winner I.K. Kim feels right at home this week since the Rancho Santa Fe resident lives just 15 minutes away from this week’s host course, Aviara Golf Club. Kim credits the course staff for being so accommodating to local LPGA Tour players in the week’s leading up to the event in terms of access to the course and hospitality.
“You know, I'm just very comfortable,” said Kim. “The people around here are amazing. They let me practice whenever I get here. So it's good to see a lot of people, friends out here. So I think that makes me feel even more that, you know, welcome here.”
Kim matched Recari for low round of the day on Friday with a 5-under 67 and heads into the weekend two shots off the lead at 6-under par. She said the extra preparation the winter months in harsher conditions has made this week a bit easier with seven practice rounds under her belt.
“But I have to tell you, the conditions totally changed,” said Kim. “You know, it was really cold this winter. But it's playing much you know, because I practiced in the hard conditions, I have to say, so that helps out.”
Winning ace: It would be no surprise if Jin Young Pak had frustration after she finished the 13th hole on Friday. The South Korean double bogeyed her fourth hole of the day but had a big reason to celebrate shortly afterward. Pak made a hole in one at the next hole on No. 14 which was designated as the prize hole for the week. One swing of her 7 iron from 164 yards won the 26-year old a brand new 2014 Kia Cadenza, the official car of the Kia Classic.
She tried to play the hole 150 yards and watched the ball take one bounce before taking the lucky drop. It was her sixth hole in one in her lifetime and when asked if she has ever won a car before, Pak made it obvious she had no idea she had won the car until after her round.
“I won a car? Really?”
Cheers to the weekend: A total of 73 players made the cut which fell at 3-over-par 147.
In the booth: Natalie Gulbis (@natalie_gulbis) joined the Golf Channel telecast crew in their booth Friday afternoon. She caught up with on-air talent Judy Rankin and Whit Watson and gave an update on her health status after her diagnosis of malaria a few weeks ago. Gulbis withdrew from the field this week prior to the first round but said she’s made significant improvements and is currently preparing for the season’s first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 67.
137 Paula Creamer (USA) 69 68, Karrie Webb (Australia) 67 70
138 I K Kim (S Korea) 71 67, Haeji Kang (S Korea) 69 69, Cristie Kerr (USA) 70 68, Inbee Park (S Korea) 69 69.
SELECTED SCORES
139 Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) 67 72 (T9)
140 Stacy Lewis (USA) 70 70 (T11)
143 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 69 74 (T26)
145 Felicity Johnson (England) 72 73 (T41)
147 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 75 72 (T62)
MISSED THE CUT (147 and better qualified)
150 Karen Stupples (England) 79 71
151 Becky Morgan (Wales) 77 74
160 Laura Davies (England) 82 78
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Spain’s Beatriz Recari (@BeatrizRecari) shot one of the best rounds of the day on Friday, a five-under 67, and took the lead after two days of play at the Kia Classic at Carlsbad, California.
Recari moved to 8-under par after her bogey-free, five birdie round and holds a one-shot lead over Rolex Rankings No. 11 Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) and World and LPGA Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb.
Catriona Matthew made the cut on the limit mark of 147 (75-72) but Laura Davies crashed out with 82-78 for 160
Recari has been the epitome of consistency over the past year and will make her 38th consecutive cut this weekend. She was one of three players in the 2012 season to make every cut in each start she made (27). The 25-year old said last season left her with a positive attitude heading into 2013 and it has shown in her results.
“Well, definitely the consistency gave me a lot of confidence because that definitely showed me that I was on the right track and doing the right things,” said Recari.
“Just in the winter I just focused on maybe raising the bar in my short game. I felt that maybe my short game wasn't at the high level that I wanted to have last year. I took a lot of positives from last year. I didn't win, which is something that I'm definitely looking forward to doing this year.”
Stick with it: Paula Creamer found herself searching for answers on the greens last season and tried to return to a familiar feeling she had earlier on in her career. She switched back to the two-ball model putter this past December, one she had used and won several times with on Tour.
“I used it probably for the first three years maybe on Tour, three and a half years, and then I kind of switched a couple times,” said Creamer. “I wanted to go back to something I was very comfortable with. It took me a while. I tried to go back to it sooner but I just couldn't do it. One of the reasons I switched was I had one and it got bent traveling and I never found one that I liked again, so I just kind of went away from it. Now it's good, I like it and it's back in the bag.”
Creamer ranked 34th in putts per greens in regulation and 44th in putting average last season and hopes the switch will prove some position change.
“I played with it at Swinging Skirts in Taiwan, so that was last December, so it's only been a couple months,” said Creamer. “But I decided after CME that I'm going to go back no matter what. No matter what happens, I'm not switching putters, I'm not doing anything, I'm just going to kind of grind through it with this one.”
Extra work: Karrie Webb found her form through her final nine holes and helped herself stay in contention heading into the weekend. The Australian is in pursuit of her 39th LPGA Tour victory.
“I hit it pretty similar to yesterday, probably just didn't make as many putts today as I did yesterday,” said Webb. “I think the pins are a little bit trickier, I found anyway, than yesterday. So I had a good last nine holes, I turned in 1 over but I felt like I was still playing pretty good. Three birdies on the back, so it was a pretty good round.”
Webb is coming off back-to-back T18 finishes in Singapore and Phoenix and said some extra analytical work this week has helped piece things together.
“It's sort of come together,” said Webb. “Put some hard work in at the beginning of the week because I wasn't super happy with the way I've been hitting it and watching video and emailing the video and lessons over the phone. But it's nice to feel like I know where the ball's going.”
Local advantage: Three-time LPGA Tour winner I.K. Kim feels right at home this week since the Rancho Santa Fe resident lives just 15 minutes away from this week’s host course, Aviara Golf Club. Kim credits the course staff for being so accommodating to local LPGA Tour players in the week’s leading up to the event in terms of access to the course and hospitality.
“You know, I'm just very comfortable,” said Kim. “The people around here are amazing. They let me practice whenever I get here. So it's good to see a lot of people, friends out here. So I think that makes me feel even more that, you know, welcome here.”
Kim matched Recari for low round of the day on Friday with a 5-under 67 and heads into the weekend two shots off the lead at 6-under par. She said the extra preparation the winter months in harsher conditions has made this week a bit easier with seven practice rounds under her belt.
“But I have to tell you, the conditions totally changed,” said Kim. “You know, it was really cold this winter. But it's playing much you know, because I practiced in the hard conditions, I have to say, so that helps out.”
Winning ace: It would be no surprise if Jin Young Pak had frustration after she finished the 13th hole on Friday. The South Korean double bogeyed her fourth hole of the day but had a big reason to celebrate shortly afterward. Pak made a hole in one at the next hole on No. 14 which was designated as the prize hole for the week. One swing of her 7 iron from 164 yards won the 26-year old a brand new 2014 Kia Cadenza, the official car of the Kia Classic.
She tried to play the hole 150 yards and watched the ball take one bounce before taking the lucky drop. It was her sixth hole in one in her lifetime and when asked if she has ever won a car before, Pak made it obvious she had no idea she had won the car until after her round.
“I won a car? Really?”
Cheers to the weekend: A total of 73 players made the cut which fell at 3-over-par 147.
In the booth: Natalie Gulbis (@natalie_gulbis) joined the Golf Channel telecast crew in their booth Friday afternoon. She caught up with on-air talent Judy Rankin and Whit Watson and gave an update on her health status after her diagnosis of malaria a few weeks ago. Gulbis withdrew from the field this week prior to the first round but said she’s made significant improvements and is currently preparing for the season’s first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 67.
137 Paula Creamer (USA) 69 68, Karrie Webb (Australia) 67 70
138 I K Kim (S Korea) 71 67, Haeji Kang (S Korea) 69 69, Cristie Kerr (USA) 70 68, Inbee Park (S Korea) 69 69.
SELECTED SCORES
139 Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) 67 72 (T9)
140 Stacy Lewis (USA) 70 70 (T11)
143 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 69 74 (T26)
145 Felicity Johnson (England) 72 73 (T41)
147 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 75 72 (T62)
MISSED THE CUT (147 and better qualified)
150 Karen Stupples (England) 79 71
151 Becky Morgan (Wales) 77 74
160 Laura Davies (England) 82 78
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: LPGA TOUR
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