Yani Tseng stumbled but did not fall, ending Friday’s second round clinging to a one-stroke lead over Pat Hurst at the LPGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y.
The world’s top-ranked golfer uncharacteristically double-bogeyed the par-4 18th hole (her ninth of the day) and added a bogey on the par-3 fifth. But five birdies, including a near eagle on the eighth hole, brought the 22-year-old Tseng into the clubhouse with a 2-under 70 and an 8-under total for her two days of work.
Tseng topped a crowded leaderboard that had Morgan Pressel and Minea Blomqvist tied for third at 6-under. Paula Creamer, hoping for her first victory of the season, had an up-and-down day that included four birdies and four bogeys. The reigning U.S. Women’s Open champ finished on a high note, with a birdie on the par-3 ninth and ended Friday just four shots off the lead.
The 42-year-old Hurst lit up the leaderboard early, with seven birds and only two bogeys to card one of the lower rounds of the day. Low-scoring honors belonged to Shansan Feng, whose bogey on the 18th was the only blemish on a scorecard that featured seven birdies.
Defending champion Cristie Kerr, struggling with the flu, was at even-par heading into the weekend after adding a 72 to her opening-round 72. Kerr, who was front and center for Rory McIlroy’s post-U.S. Open sponsor’s event on Cape Cod on Monday, said those festivities, plus a “very long” pro-am on Tuesday, contributed to her ailment.
Kerr finished last year’s tourney at 19-under par and posted a record-breaking 12-stroke victory.
Should Tseng’s lead hold up, the young woman from Taiwan will notch the fourth major championship of her four-year career. She was already the youngest LPGA golfer in tour history to win three majors. A victory at this year’s U.S. Open would give the winner of the 2008 LPGA Championship, 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship, and last year’s Women’s British Open the career grand slam.
Happy birthday, Juli! Tseng, by the way, presented Juli Inkster with a birthday gift on the practice range prior to Friday’s round. Inkster, who would be the oldest LPGA golfer to win a tour event, commemorated the 51st anniversary of her birth by shooting a 2-under to move to even-par for the tourney.
Shoeless in Rochester. Oh, and don’t be surprised to see 2009 Kraft Nabisco winner Brittany Lincicome hitting drives while standing on one leg and in her bare feet. “It’s a Vision54 thing,” Lincicome’s father told Golf Channel in April.
Indeed, it’s all about harmony and stability, according to Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, the Vision54 gurus who preach a coordinated technique to improved on-course performance and who count Tseng among their disciples.
“Balance!” @Vision54 tweeted Friday in response to our observation about Lincicome’s stork-like practice.
Lincicome would certainly like to notch a few more birdies in the next couple of days. She will start Saturday at 2-over — one stroke clear of the projected cut line.
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out on the Waggle Room, Boston Golf Examiner, National Golf Examiner, and GottaGoGolf websites. You may also follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.)
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