Kim In-kyung recorded four birdies and carded a three-under par 69 on Friday in the second round of the US$1.2 million LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge.
Kim holds a one-shot lead over Mollie Fankhauser and a two-stroke lead over world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, who denied the 21-year-old her first win last season.
The South Korean has five top 10 finishes — including a third-place showing at the US Open in June. Her best placing came last year at Wegman’s when she finished second after losing a playoff to Ochoa.
PHOTO: AFP
Kim came to the US as a 17-year-old and she said the chance to play against the likes of Ochoa made it an easy decision.
“I always wanted to come here and learn more about golf, it’s different you know, I just wanted to play USPGA tournaments and compete with the best golfers,” she said.
Kim, who began the day one shot back of the lead, recorded four birdies on the front nine and pared her last hole for a 33 at the turn.
PHOTO: AFP
It may not be fun dealing with Ochoa again. The 26-year-old Mexican is third at 4-under 68 after firing seven birdies and an eagle. Ochoa, who also bogeyed four holes, is at 6-under par 138. Ochoa said the wind played a factor.
“There is really no other word to describe it, but it was just a really tough day,” Ochoa said.
The leader on the money list, Ochoa is looking for her second win in three weeks.
She trails Fankhauser, who fired a 4-under 68. Fankhauser recorded six birdies, but sprinkled in a pair of bogeys and is at 7-under 137.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng (曾雅妮) carded 72 for a total of 140, Teresa Lu (盧曉晴) shot 70 for 145, Candie Kung (龔怡萍) had 74 for 147 and Amy Hung (洪沁慧) finished at 74 for a 148 total.
■TEXAS OPEN
AP, SAN ANTONIO, Texas
Chris Stroud moved into position to make a big jump on the PGA Tour money list on Friday, shooting a 6-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Texas Open.
The 26-year-old Stroud, 209th on the money list, had a 10-under 130 total on the La Cantera Golf Club’s Resort Course. Paul Goydos (66), Tim Petrovic (65) and 1997 winner Tim Herron (67) were two strokes back, and Rory Sabbatini (66) topped a large group at 7-under. Kevin Streelman (63) and Rory Sabbatini (66) topped a large group at 7-under.
Defending champion Justin Leonard, seeking a record fourth victory in the event, shot a 69 to make the cut by a stroke at 1-under.
Stroud finished the sunny day with his first solo lead in two seasons on the PGA Tour. His best career finish was a tie for fifth last year in New Orleans. He tied for 12th this year in the tour event in Riviera Maya, Mexico, but has withdrawn from three tournaments because of injuries.
He twisted his left knee at the AT&T National Pro-AM in February and has battled an assortment of injuries.
“It felt like a needle was sticking into my knee every time I tried to swing,” Stroud said. “It was just getting worse and worse. I thought I might be done for the year and take a major medical exemption.”
“The absolute worst was the Canadian Open this year. I had a downhill lie in deep rough. I swung at the ball and it brought tears to my eyes,” he said.
Streelman shot a 6-under 29 on the front nine en route to his 63.
“There are certain scores a golfer always wants to shoot and 29 is one of them,” Streelman said.
First-round leader Nathan Green began his round with a bogey, double bogey and bogey and finished with 75 — 13 shots higher than his opening 62.
■MADRID MASTERS
AP, MADRID
Charl Schwartzel overcame illness and a sore shoulder on Friday to shoot a 7-under 64 and share the Madrid Masters lead with Marcus Fraser after the second round.
Schwartzel nearly withdrew before play started on Friday because of his ailments, but the South African still managed to shoot the day’s second-lowest score to join Fraser with a 9-under total of 133.
Sweden’s Steven Jeppesen (67) and Robert Rock of England (65) were two shots back.
“I phoned my dad this morning and he told me to tee off and see how it goes. So I did that and then I got a couple of birdies and I started to feel better,” said Schwartzel, who had a bogey-free round with five birdies and an eagle at the par-5 No. 4. “I’m on antibiotics and I don’t feel that strong. But that was a very solid round of golf and I’m in a very good position.”
Fraser, who shot a 67 on Thursday to share the overnight lead, started with three birdies over the first four holes but then made three straight bogeys from No. 6. But the Australian rallied with five birdies over the back nine for a 66.
A handful of players were three strokes behind the leaders, while Spanish Ryder Cup player Miguel Angel Jimenez — who hasn’t won in Spain in 10 years — was seven shots back, along with former US Open champion Angel Cabrera.
Jose Maria Olazabal’s return from an injury lost some momentum after the two-time Masters champion shot a 72 to make the cut with an even-par score of 142.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tomorrow for the final berth at next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome yesterday. The home team's loss means that Nicaragua finishes No. 1 in the qualifier round held in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to the games. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier yesterday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, finished third, while South Africa placed at the bottom
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