Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul has more momentum than any player on the LPGA Tour and she’s right there near the top of the leader-board after two rounds at the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea.
American Andrea Lee set the 36-hole tone with back-to-back 66s and is 12-under, two clear of Thitikul.
“Another bogey-free round which I’m really pleased with. Hit all the greens, all the fairways and just made some putts out there. Honestly a few of them didn’t drop within like 10, 15 feet but overall played really well and hopefully I can keep it going this weekend,” said Lee, who hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in the second round. “I really love the golf course here. The greens are really fast and firm, which I think plays to my advantage. My home course is pretty hilly, too, Palos Verdes Golf Club so I’m used to these hilly lies that you see out here at Oak Valley so I think that’s also going to play to my strength as well.”
As for Thitikul, she was tied with American Lilia Vu (68-66). She’s done well on the front nine at Oak Valley but the back nine has been up-and-down for her. On Thursday, Thitikul set the course record at Oak Valley with a nine-under par 63 but cooled off a bit on Friday with 71.
“It’s been a roller coaster back nine. I think it’s not a big deal because you just know that you missed it. It’s normal for golf, and just keep trying more on the next hole, and not thinking about the past because you can’t do anything with the past. So you just try to keep doing better on the present,” said Thitikul. “Seems like today is not my day. This is my goal, as well: if it’s not your day, how you’re going to bounce back, how you’re going to keep it in contention as much as you can.”
The shocker of the first two rounds was world No. 1 Jin Young Ko. Ko shot an 80 on Thursday that included a 10 at the par five 18th. Her drive found the forest left of the hole, her provisional ball ended up in a bad spot. She tried to move the ball, make a left-handed swat at it but only moved it a few yards. Her fifth was left of the green, her sixth was a chunk, she was on in seven and obviously rattled, proceeded to three-putt for 10.
Things weren’t much better for Ko on Friday. She shot 79 and is 15-over and dead last in the field of 78 players. Good news, or perhaps bad news the way she’s playing — there’s no cut.
England’s Dale Whitnell Sets Early 36-Hole Pace At Mallorca:
Englishman Dale Whitnell had quite a day on Friday and shot an eight-under par 63 and was the early second round leader at the Mallorca Open on the DP World Tour. Whitnell was in at 11-under par, a shot in front of New Zealander Ryan Fox.
Many feel that Fox should have been a selection for the International side at the recent President’s Cup matches but he was over-looked by captain Trevor Immelman. Fox is looking for his fourth DP World Tour win and has risen to 25th in the world rankings. Fox shot 64 on Friday to go with his first round 68.
England’s Marcus Armitage was the first round leader with a eight-under par 63. He was going off later on day two at the Son Montaner Golf Club.
