Pressel equals record, shares Kia Classic lead

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Morgan Pressel tied the course record at Aviara Golf Club with an 8-under 64 to climb into a share of the second-round lead with South Korea’s Mirim Lee (69) at the Kia Classic at Carlsbad, California.
The duo sit at 10-under par, one shot clear of 16-time winner Cristie Kerr (68) and rookie Alison Lee (66). 
 Four players are two shots back at 8-under par including last week’s winner Hyo Joo Kim, American Brittany Lang, Spain’s Maria Hernandez, Sakura Yokomine of Japan. 
World No. 1 Lydia Ko is in a tie for eighth alongside with No. 3 Stacy Lewis and three shots back at 7-under par. No. 2 Inbee Park is within striking distance at 6-under par. 
“It was definitely stress free,” said Pressel. “I hit almost every fairway, and I think I hit 16 or 17 greens and just had a chance for birdie on almost every hole…
"I just hit it where I wanted to hit it today.  It’s been a while since I’ve kind of been confident knowing where the golf ball would go, and so it was nice to kind of swing freely out there today and have the result that I did.” 
The score also tied her career-low round which she has previously shot on four separate occasions, most recently in 2013 in the final round of the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. Pressel’s last victory came nearly seven years ago at the 2008 Kapalua LPGA Classic. 
First-round leader Mirim Lee followed up her round of 65 yesterday with a 3-under 69 on Friday. It marks the second time in her career that she will hold the 36-hole lead. The last time was at the 2014 JTBC Founders Cup where she finished in a tie for second. 
Morgan Pressel knew she needed to make some changes early on in the year and dug up an old number to call for a bit of swing help before the west coast swing. 
“I was kind of on my own for a little bit in terms of my swing and just trying to work through things by myself, and then I called my long time coach Ron Stockton back into the mix, and I really like what we’ve been working on,” said Pressel.
 “I knew where I needed to get the club, but I was having a lot of trouble actually getting it there, so a couple of hard days with him followed by the week last week and trying to take it out on the golf course kind of helped put it into play for this week.”  
The work has seemed to pay off since Pressel has not played well to start off the 2015 season. Her best finish is a tie for 33rd at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. But things came together including a stellar putting day on Friday. Her round of 64 tied the course record set by Dori Carter in the second round last year.
Pressel had 27 putts in both her first and second round and ranks tie for third in putts her greens in regulation in the field through two rounds. She sank a 50-foot birdie putt on 18 on Friday and added three more of about 20 feet. 
“The greens are difficult.  They’re tough to read, and then they’re bumpy, especially later in the day,” said Pressel. “That kind of puts it all in perspective as to how difficult the greens are out here.  But early I made a couple really long putts, and you kind of feel like you’re stealing them when they go in.  So that was nice, and then later on, I mean    I was hitting it close, too, so I gave myself a lot of opportunities, and certainly some of them went in, and that was nice.  I had one that was like a kick in, so that was nice, too.” 
Catriona Matthew (72-71 for 143) made the cut on the limit mark alongside Yorkshire's Jodi Ewart Shadoff (74-69) in T59 position.] 
Those who missed the cut by one shot included Suzann Pettersen (71-73), Laura Davies (72-72) and Becky Morgan (74-70).
LEADERBOARD

134 Morgan Pressel	70	64	-	-	-10
134 Mirim Lee	65	69	-	-	-10
135 Alison Lee	69	66	-	-	-9
135 Cristie Kerr	67	68	-	-	-9

SELECTED SCORES
143 Catriona Matthew 72 71
143 Jodi Ewart Shadoff 74 69

MISSED THE CUT
144 Laura Davies 72 72
144 Suzann Pettersen 71 73
144 Becky Morgan 74 70

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4 players tied at -8