ILHEE LEE STILL LEADS BY ONE AT SIME DARBY LPGA MALAYSIA
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club- East Course
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Second-Round Notes and Interviews
October 11, 2013
South Korea’s Ilhee Lee continued her strong play in Kuala Lumpur and maintains a one-shot lead at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia after a 6-under 65 in Friday’s second round. Lee’s two-day total of 13-under par leads American Lexi Thompson by one stroke. Thompson finished with an 8-under 63 that included seven birdies, an eagle and one bogey. Last week’s winner Shanshan Feng (67-65) is in solo third and three shots back at 10-under par. American Paula Creamer (66-67) and South Korea’s I.K. Kim (67-66) are at 9-under-par and in a tie for fourth.
Lee played her first nine holes 5-under par and extended her lead to as large as four strokes. But a blazing back-nine by Thompson cut the lead to one shot heading into the weekend. Lee said her goal each day was to aim for 3-under and said she has surpassed her own expectations the first two days.
“I did,” said Lee. “I tried to do exactly the same thing as yesterday. So my goal was 3 under par today. Then, yeah, I putted good and made more, so it was fun.”
Lee, who has one bogey through 36 holes, said she hasn’t been hitting it particularly well but her putter has been making up for it. She had 26 putts in the first round and 27 on Friday and ranks tied for third this week in putts.
“I did mistakes a lot, actually,” said Lee. “I missed shots a little bit, but the putt was good, so I saved a lot.
Lee is playing for her second-career win and second this season. She won the inaugural Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic in May.
Thompson had three birdies and one bogey on the front nine and made the turn five shots off the lead. But an impressive back nine that included a streak of four birdies and an eagle pushed the 18-year old up the leaderboard. Lee dropped her only shot of the day on the par 5 16th hole to cut the lead to one shot.
“It was all about momentum,” said Thompson. “On the back nine I made a few birdies and then I had that eagle, so I pretty much just had it going my way. I just tried to keep confident out there. Focused on one shot at a time.”
Thompson is coming off a third-place finish at the Tour’s final major at the Evian Championship and had three weeks at home in Florida. But the Coral Springs native was forced to take a break from swinging the clubs.
“I actually got my wisdom teeth out the week I got back, so I had to take a whole week off pretty much, but I definitely needed a break,” said Thompson. “I figured I'd go home, relax and practice up for these last few events of the year. I came into this week feeling ready and just confident about it.”
Amy Yang set a new tournament record for 18 holes after she finished Friday’s second round with a 9-under 62 on the East Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Her round included 10 birdies and one bogey and was Yang’s career-low score by two shots and best round this season by four strokes. The round jumped the South Korean from T48 at the start of the day into a tie for sixth.
“I would say it was a great round, you know?” said Yang. “First of all, it was a great round. But I've shot 10 under before, but it was the Mini Tour, but this is my best on the LPGA Tour, and it feels great.”
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park shot even-par 71 and dropped into a tie for 39th at 1-under par. No. 2 Suzann Pettersen (67-68) is six shots back at 7-under par while No. 3 Stacy Lewis (69-68) is in a tie for 16th and eight shots back.
Solheim Cup boost: Lexi Thompson became the youngest American to play in the Solheim Cup at 18 years, 6 months and 6 days old when she joined Team USA at the 13th staging of the biennial event this year. The second-year LPGA Tour member said she has felt dramatic improvements in her confidence on the course since playing on one of the biggest stages in women’s golf.
Since playing in the red, white and blue at Colorado Golf Club in August, Thompson has not finished outside the top-20 in LPGA Tour events. Her finishes include a T20 at the CN Canadian Women’s Open, T9 at the Safeway Classic and a third place finish at the Evian Championship.
“I think Solheim Cup helped me so much with my attitude and confidence out on the golf course,” said Thompson. “That is probably the most pressure you'll ever play under. So I get out to a regular LPGA event, and I'm a lot more relaxed now. Hitting those shots under pressure, you know you can do it once you pull them off. So you come out here and have nothing but confidence out there.”
Missed the memo: Shanshan Feng and I.K. Kim had some deja vu on Friday when they received the same pairing with American Cristie Kerr for the second round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Feng joked that she told Kim’s caddie that they should all go for 10-under but claimed he didn’t pass along the message.
“Well, it was kind of interesting because we got the same pairings, exactly same pairings as yesterday,” said Feng. “So this morning I saw I.K.'s caddie, Johnny, and we were talking. We say maybe we want to play again tomorrow. So I said let's meet at 10 under, but I think because Johnny didn't tell I.K., so she didn't know. But we still have a chance to play together tomorrow.”
Feng reached her goal of 10-under after finishing with a 6-under 65 on Friday and moved into solo third, one shot in front of Kim. The Chinese major champion said she feels right at home in Kuala Lumpur. Feng had a busy few days leading into this week’s event and participated in a charity event, a junior clinic and was invited to have dinner with the Chinese ambassador.
She said the packed off-course schedule wasn’t even a product of her thrilling win last week in Beijing at the Reignwood LPGA Classic. A large Chinese fan base in Malaysia has kept the 24-year old comfortable and has helped her position herself within striking distance of her third-career win.
“Well, it was arranged before I won last week,” said Feng. “Of course, I'm really happy that I got a chance to actually help the LPGA in CARIF event. But it's good because I won last week, and there were many, many Chinese here this week. I actually had like a welcome party. It was a welcome party for me and another Chinese girl here this week by the ambassador of China. So I've played with him for a few times in the Pro Ams, so we've known for a long time now. It feels like still at home. I feel like I'm still in China.”
Korean tradition continued? Lee will try to become the fourth-consecutive South Korean to win the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and add on to the all-South Korean champions list for the event. Past winners include Inbee Park (2012), Na Yeon Choi (2011) and Jimin Kang (2010).
Of Note…Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club received just over four inches (102 millimeters) of rain after play completed after the first round on Thursday.
TO VIEW THE COMPLETE SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
CLICK HERE
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club- East Course
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Second-Round Notes and Interviews
October 11, 2013
South Korea’s Ilhee Lee continued her strong play in Kuala Lumpur and maintains a one-shot lead at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia after a 6-under 65 in Friday’s second round. Lee’s two-day total of 13-under par leads American Lexi Thompson by one stroke. Thompson finished with an 8-under 63 that included seven birdies, an eagle and one bogey. Last week’s winner Shanshan Feng (67-65) is in solo third and three shots back at 10-under par. American Paula Creamer (66-67) and South Korea’s I.K. Kim (67-66) are at 9-under-par and in a tie for fourth.
Lee played her first nine holes 5-under par and extended her lead to as large as four strokes. But a blazing back-nine by Thompson cut the lead to one shot heading into the weekend. Lee said her goal each day was to aim for 3-under and said she has surpassed her own expectations the first two days.
“I did,” said Lee. “I tried to do exactly the same thing as yesterday. So my goal was 3 under par today. Then, yeah, I putted good and made more, so it was fun.”
Lee, who has one bogey through 36 holes, said she hasn’t been hitting it particularly well but her putter has been making up for it. She had 26 putts in the first round and 27 on Friday and ranks tied for third this week in putts.
“I did mistakes a lot, actually,” said Lee. “I missed shots a little bit, but the putt was good, so I saved a lot.
Lee is playing for her second-career win and second this season. She won the inaugural Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic in May.
Thompson had three birdies and one bogey on the front nine and made the turn five shots off the lead. But an impressive back nine that included a streak of four birdies and an eagle pushed the 18-year old up the leaderboard. Lee dropped her only shot of the day on the par 5 16th hole to cut the lead to one shot.
“It was all about momentum,” said Thompson. “On the back nine I made a few birdies and then I had that eagle, so I pretty much just had it going my way. I just tried to keep confident out there. Focused on one shot at a time.”
Thompson is coming off a third-place finish at the Tour’s final major at the Evian Championship and had three weeks at home in Florida. But the Coral Springs native was forced to take a break from swinging the clubs.
“I actually got my wisdom teeth out the week I got back, so I had to take a whole week off pretty much, but I definitely needed a break,” said Thompson. “I figured I'd go home, relax and practice up for these last few events of the year. I came into this week feeling ready and just confident about it.”
Amy Yang set a new tournament record for 18 holes after she finished Friday’s second round with a 9-under 62 on the East Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Her round included 10 birdies and one bogey and was Yang’s career-low score by two shots and best round this season by four strokes. The round jumped the South Korean from T48 at the start of the day into a tie for sixth.
“I would say it was a great round, you know?” said Yang. “First of all, it was a great round. But I've shot 10 under before, but it was the Mini Tour, but this is my best on the LPGA Tour, and it feels great.”
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park shot even-par 71 and dropped into a tie for 39th at 1-under par. No. 2 Suzann Pettersen (67-68) is six shots back at 7-under par while No. 3 Stacy Lewis (69-68) is in a tie for 16th and eight shots back.
Solheim Cup boost: Lexi Thompson became the youngest American to play in the Solheim Cup at 18 years, 6 months and 6 days old when she joined Team USA at the 13th staging of the biennial event this year. The second-year LPGA Tour member said she has felt dramatic improvements in her confidence on the course since playing on one of the biggest stages in women’s golf.
Since playing in the red, white and blue at Colorado Golf Club in August, Thompson has not finished outside the top-20 in LPGA Tour events. Her finishes include a T20 at the CN Canadian Women’s Open, T9 at the Safeway Classic and a third place finish at the Evian Championship.
“I think Solheim Cup helped me so much with my attitude and confidence out on the golf course,” said Thompson. “That is probably the most pressure you'll ever play under. So I get out to a regular LPGA event, and I'm a lot more relaxed now. Hitting those shots under pressure, you know you can do it once you pull them off. So you come out here and have nothing but confidence out there.”
Missed the memo: Shanshan Feng and I.K. Kim had some deja vu on Friday when they received the same pairing with American Cristie Kerr for the second round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Feng joked that she told Kim’s caddie that they should all go for 10-under but claimed he didn’t pass along the message.
“Well, it was kind of interesting because we got the same pairings, exactly same pairings as yesterday,” said Feng. “So this morning I saw I.K.'s caddie, Johnny, and we were talking. We say maybe we want to play again tomorrow. So I said let's meet at 10 under, but I think because Johnny didn't tell I.K., so she didn't know. But we still have a chance to play together tomorrow.”
Feng reached her goal of 10-under after finishing with a 6-under 65 on Friday and moved into solo third, one shot in front of Kim. The Chinese major champion said she feels right at home in Kuala Lumpur. Feng had a busy few days leading into this week’s event and participated in a charity event, a junior clinic and was invited to have dinner with the Chinese ambassador.
She said the packed off-course schedule wasn’t even a product of her thrilling win last week in Beijing at the Reignwood LPGA Classic. A large Chinese fan base in Malaysia has kept the 24-year old comfortable and has helped her position herself within striking distance of her third-career win.
“Well, it was arranged before I won last week,” said Feng. “Of course, I'm really happy that I got a chance to actually help the LPGA in CARIF event. But it's good because I won last week, and there were many, many Chinese here this week. I actually had like a welcome party. It was a welcome party for me and another Chinese girl here this week by the ambassador of China. So I've played with him for a few times in the Pro Ams, so we've known for a long time now. It feels like still at home. I feel like I'm still in China.”
Korean tradition continued? Lee will try to become the fourth-consecutive South Korean to win the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and add on to the all-South Korean champions list for the event. Past winners include Inbee Park (2012), Na Yeon Choi (2011) and Jimin Kang (2010).
Of Note…Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club received just over four inches (102 millimeters) of rain after play completed after the first round on Thursday.
TO VIEW THE COMPLETE SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
CLICK HERE
Labels: LPGA TOUR
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