July 9 — On a day when there were a whole lot of + signs next to players’ names, Cristie Kerr showed how serious she was about her position atop the world rankings. Aiming for her second major championship in a row and shooting a determined even-par in the face of a hot, steamy, and treacherous Oakmont Country Club, Kerr was the leader in the clubhouse after her second round of the 2010 US Women’s Open.
Sluggish start. After a sluggish first nine (she started on the 10th hole) that included two bogeys, a double, and a birdie, Kerr poured it on coming down the stretch. The fiercely competitive Kerr knocked in three consecutive birdies on four, five, and six, and coasted in with three pars to grab the lead from Brittany Lang.
Lang held serve, as well as the only under-par round, for much of her day, until three straight bogeys on her back nine plummeted her to 4-over through 17 holes and 2-over for the Open. She ended the day with a birdie and rejoined the tie at the top.
Lewis hangs tough. Stacy Lewis, who overcame scoliosis to play professional golf, was the only player to finish the day under par. Her 1-under 70 put her at 3-over for the Open and in good shape heading into the weekend.
Kim makes a move. After losing a playoff at last week’s Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, Christina Kim looked ready for a win. Kim eagled the ninth hole (her 18th) Thursday and two bogeys and a birdie at 17 on Friday put her at 1-over for the day and 2-over for the Open.
Cinderella story. Kelli Shean, the major story on Day One, may not have recaptured the magic of her first round. But, Ernie El’s favorite golfer should be around for the weekend.
Shean shot a 7-over Friday, but after her 1-under 70 on Thursday, the South African amateur was at 7-over for the Open.
S-L-O-W play. Shean, who started the day in a tie for second place behind Lang, was also in a threesome that officials put on the clock on the fourth tee for slow play. The Shean group made the turn in two and a half hours, well behind the USGA’s target of 4:34 for the entire round.
Trunk-slamming? Boston golfer Alison Walshe (Westford, Mass.) will have to wait and see where the cut line falls. Walshe carded a 9-over 80 to fall to 13-overall, two outside the rumored projected cut line.
Wie withers. Joining Walshe below the expected cut line was Michelle Wie. The future of women’s golf slogged her way to an 11-over 82 on Thursday and promptly bogeyed her first hole Friday. Wie was at 12-over for the tourney through two holes in the second round.
Curtis Cuppers at the Open. A slew of women who played in last month’s Curtis Cup matches at Massachusetts’ Essex County Club tested their games at Oakmont.
Newly minted professional and 15-year-old phenom, Alexis Thompson, carded a 3-over 74 in her second round. Thompson was at 5-over for the Open and looking forward to weekend play.
Jennifer Song, who won her first Duramed Futures Tour event after turning pro following the Curtis Cup, scored a 2-over 73 on Thursday. Her scheduled second-round tee time was 1:36 p.m. With slow play the norm at Oakmont, Song had yet to tee off by 2 p.m. Friday.
Here are updates on other Curtis Cuppers :
- Sally Watson, who played for Great Britain & Ireland was 6-over through 14 and 10-over for the tourney.
- Jennifer Johnson, who won the Curtis Cup for the Americans, was 1-under round through six holes Friday, and 6-over for the event.
- Kimberly Kim shot 79 and 84 and won’t be around for the weekend.
Withdrawn. After weeks of excited preparation, New England golfer Liz Janangelo withdrew from the 2010 US Women’s Open after three holes with a hip injury.
The Connecticut native gave some indications on her Twitter page that she wasn’t feeling well. Janangelo complained of pain in her leg following her opening-round score 13-over 84, and later tweeted that she was having trouble sleeping.
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. She also writes the Boston Golf Examiner and National Golf Examiner blogs.)
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