2 weeks Ago
China’s Liu Yan made a stunning albatross and a closing birdie to seize a one-stroke lead when darkness halted Friday’s second round of the LPGA Chevron Championship, while Australia’s Minjee Lee is well-placed to make a weekend charge. Lee sits three shots behind Yan at -4 at the halfway mark of the tournament, leading the Australian contingent with Grace Kim (E), major debutant Cassie Porter, Gabriela Ruffels and Steph Kyriacou (+1) also making the cut. But the nation’s top-ranked player had a day to forget with world No.
5 Hannah Green shooting a +5 second round to tumble down the leaderboard as fellow Australia Hira Naveed also missed the cut. Watch the first major of the LPGA season, The Chevron Championship, LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Lee had an early start as she had to complete the last hole of her first round, which she bogeyed, before firing a -3 second round 69. “I just want to play with freedom, so for me, I just want to see my shots really clearly,” Lee said. “If it stays this soft, I think I could be pretty aggressive on the holes where I can hit shorter clubs.
Just try and take advantage of those opportunities. “They’re probably going to try and make it a little bit harder come the weekend because it is a major championship. Just try and play smart, be patient when I have to be.
” The two-time major champion only missed one green in regulation in her opening round, but scrambled and putted beautifully in the second to make the most of her scoring opportunities. “It was pretty ideal conditions to score,” Lee shared. “There are some tougher.
.. like 9 is a little longer.
Ten, obviously the drive is demanding. Few holes coming in that are quite demanding. “Just try to have a solid score through those.
Finished at 3-under so pretty happy where I’m at.” Yan sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th hole to finish off a level par 72 and grab the lead on seven-under 137 for 36 holes at Carlton Woods in the year’s first major women’s tournament. “I’m glad I made that last birdie,” she said.
“Today I had so many putts so close. Last hole was my first birdie today so I’m very happy.” Liu’s most spectacular shot, however, came at the par-five eighth when she holed out her second shot from 170 yards with a seven-iron.
“There was helping wind and I hit a really solid driver on the fairway,” Liu said. “I took my seven-iron and yeah, it was pretty crazy.” It was the first albatross in a women’s major since American Morgan Pressel made one at the 2015 Women’s British Open.
Liu hopes to make her first LPGA triumph a major victory but a host of rivals were hot on her heels. American Lindy Duncan birdied her last three holes to shoot 66 and share second on 138 with compatriot Sarah Schmelzel, Japan’s Mao Saigo and South Korean Kim Hyo-joo. South Koreans Choi Hye-jin and Ryu Hae-ran, American Angel Yin and Belgium’s Manon De Roey were on 139.
A 90-minute morning fog delay led to the round being halted by darkness with nine players yet to finish. They will complete the second round on Saturday morning before the cut is made and the third round played. Among those still on the course, China’s Zhang Weiwei was on five-under with three holes remaining.
Liu, who began playing golf with her mother 15 years ago, has a best LPGA career finish of third at the 2023 ShopRite Classic. She had opened with a 65 to share the 18-hole lead, but stumbled with bogeys at the first and sixth holes only to answer with the albatross stunner. After a bogey at the ninth, Liu’s lead was down to one stroke.
She parred the next six holes before making bogey at 16, missing an eight-foot par putt to fall back, only to surge into the lead alone again with her closing birdie. “I think definitely I will feel a little bit (of pressure) because this is a major,” Liu said. “I know the course going to be harder so I think I just stay patient, calm, because I’m a very emotional person.
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