SHANSHAN FENG LEADS SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC BY THREE
FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Reigning Wegmans LPGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng looks to be in good form to defend her title next week as she fired a 4-under 67 to take the second-round lead at the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer.
Feng carded six birdies and two bogeys on Saturday to move her to 6-under-par for the week and holds a three-shot lead over Haeji Kang and Moriya Jutanugarn.
Feng got off to a hot start on her front nine and carded four consecutive birdies on Nos. 14-17. She would bogey the par 5 18th to make the turn at 5-under and said the breezy weather really started to pick up on the back nine.
“I think because I started early today, it wasn't as windy in the morning,” said Feng. “So that's why I made four birdies in a row. And then I think the back nine, the wind started to pick up a little bit, which it was harder to get the balls close to the pins.”
She picked up two more birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 to reach 7-under but dropped a shot on the 7th to finish at 6-under-par.
Haeji Kang of South Korea also teed off in the morning group and took advantage of the more favorable scoring conditions, shooting a 2-under 69 to put her three shots off the lead at 3-under par.
High winds with gusts up to 25 mph provided tough scoring conditions in the afternoon with only one player, I.K. Kim (70), posting a score under par in the second wave of the day. Co-leaders Moriya Jutanugarn (73) and Amanda Blumenherst (75) struggled to keep consistency throughout their rounds with such unpredictable conditions.
“Yesterday, everything like kind of perfect time and good timing,” said Jutanugarn. “I hit a lot of fairways, so today I get in trouble in the long rough a little bit.”
Jutanugarn will play in the final group on Sunday for the first time in her young career and the rookie says she will try to keep the ball in the fairway tomorrow. She’s playing for her first-career win and to add onto her lead in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race.
“If I can play my game, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a good day,” said Jutanugarn. “So, yeah, first win is going to be great, but anywhere, try to do my best. I try to keep the driver, the tee shot in the fairway. Then it's just more easier for these conditions and this course.”
Defending champion and Rolex Rankings No. 2 Stacy Lewis started the round one shot off the lead but following an opening-hole birdie, found herself in nothing but trouble. Lewis tallied four double bogeys, two bogeys and one birdie en route to carding a 9-over 80. She’s currently in a T49 at 5-over par. The score tied the highest round of her career-- she posted an 80 in the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Black Wolf Run, which played to a par 72.
Brits Becky Morgan (72-73 for 145), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (76-70 for 146) and Karen Stupples (73-75 for 148) made the cut at 148 or better.
But two of Europe's leading players, Catriona Matthew and Norway's Suzann Pettersen missed it. Catriona shot 75-74 for 149 - one too many, while Suzann had a pair of 76s for 152.
Felicity Johnson, who had a nightmare first round of 83, came bouncing back with a 73 for 156 - nowhere near qualifying but good for her self-confidence.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD Par 142 (2x71)
136 Shanshan Feng (China) 69 67
139 Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 66 73, Haeji Kang (South Korea) 70 69.
140 Chie Arimura (Japan) 73 67, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 72 68
141 Karine Icher (France) 74 67, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 69 72, Karrie Webb (Australia) 72 69, Michelle Wie (US) 68 73, Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 75.
BRITISH QUALIFIERS
145 Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 73 (T26)
146 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 76 70 (T36)
148 Karen Stupples (England) 73 75 (T58).
MISSED THE CUT (148 and better qualified)
149 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 75 74.
152 Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 76 76
155 Felicity Johnson (England) 83 72.
TO VIEW THE LPGA WEBSITE SCOREBOARD
CLICK HERE
Reigning Wegmans LPGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng looks to be in good form to defend her title next week as she fired a 4-under 67 to take the second-round lead at the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer.
Feng carded six birdies and two bogeys on Saturday to move her to 6-under-par for the week and holds a three-shot lead over Haeji Kang and Moriya Jutanugarn.
Feng got off to a hot start on her front nine and carded four consecutive birdies on Nos. 14-17. She would bogey the par 5 18th to make the turn at 5-under and said the breezy weather really started to pick up on the back nine.
“I think because I started early today, it wasn't as windy in the morning,” said Feng. “So that's why I made four birdies in a row. And then I think the back nine, the wind started to pick up a little bit, which it was harder to get the balls close to the pins.”
She picked up two more birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 to reach 7-under but dropped a shot on the 7th to finish at 6-under-par.
Haeji Kang of South Korea also teed off in the morning group and took advantage of the more favorable scoring conditions, shooting a 2-under 69 to put her three shots off the lead at 3-under par.
High winds with gusts up to 25 mph provided tough scoring conditions in the afternoon with only one player, I.K. Kim (70), posting a score under par in the second wave of the day. Co-leaders Moriya Jutanugarn (73) and Amanda Blumenherst (75) struggled to keep consistency throughout their rounds with such unpredictable conditions.
“Yesterday, everything like kind of perfect time and good timing,” said Jutanugarn. “I hit a lot of fairways, so today I get in trouble in the long rough a little bit.”
Jutanugarn will play in the final group on Sunday for the first time in her young career and the rookie says she will try to keep the ball in the fairway tomorrow. She’s playing for her first-career win and to add onto her lead in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race.
“If I can play my game, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a good day,” said Jutanugarn. “So, yeah, first win is going to be great, but anywhere, try to do my best. I try to keep the driver, the tee shot in the fairway. Then it's just more easier for these conditions and this course.”
Defending champion and Rolex Rankings No. 2 Stacy Lewis started the round one shot off the lead but following an opening-hole birdie, found herself in nothing but trouble. Lewis tallied four double bogeys, two bogeys and one birdie en route to carding a 9-over 80. She’s currently in a T49 at 5-over par. The score tied the highest round of her career-- she posted an 80 in the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Black Wolf Run, which played to a par 72.
Brits Becky Morgan (72-73 for 145), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (76-70 for 146) and Karen Stupples (73-75 for 148) made the cut at 148 or better.
But two of Europe's leading players, Catriona Matthew and Norway's Suzann Pettersen missed it. Catriona shot 75-74 for 149 - one too many, while Suzann had a pair of 76s for 152.
Felicity Johnson, who had a nightmare first round of 83, came bouncing back with a 73 for 156 - nowhere near qualifying but good for her self-confidence.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD Par 142 (2x71)
136 Shanshan Feng (China) 69 67
139 Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 66 73, Haeji Kang (South Korea) 70 69.
140 Chie Arimura (Japan) 73 67, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 72 68
141 Karine Icher (France) 74 67, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 69 72, Karrie Webb (Australia) 72 69, Michelle Wie (US) 68 73, Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 75.
BRITISH QUALIFIERS
145 Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 73 (T26)
146 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 76 70 (T36)
148 Karen Stupples (England) 73 75 (T58).
MISSED THE CUT (148 and better qualified)
149 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 75 74.
152 Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 76 76
155 Felicity Johnson (England) 83 72.
TO VIEW THE LPGA WEBSITE SCOREBOARD
CLICK HERE
Labels: LPGA TOUR
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