Americans Paula Creamer and Jane Park edged into a narrow one shot lead on a jam-packed leaderboard after the second round of the HSBC Women’s Champions yesterday.
The ailing Creamer, still feeling sick from a virus as she searches for her ninth career victory, mixed three birdies with two bogeys in a 71 to be joint leader with playing partner Park, who has yet to win on the US LPGA Tour.
Sitting a stroke behind on 139 are South Korea’s Kim Mi-hyun and Australia’s Katherine Hull, with Japanese superstar Ai Miyazato and another Korean, Yoo Sun-young, a shot further back.
PHOTO: AP
On a hot and humid day, no one made a significant break from the pack, with seven players tied for the lead at one stage.
DISASTROUS RUN
World No. 1 and defending champion Lorena Ochoa is in a pack of nine players on 142 and remains a threat despite a disastrous run to the clubhouse where she bogeyed the 12th, 14th and 18th.
Ochoa ended the day with a 73 but the third-ranked Creamer will be looking over her shoulder after the Mexican came from three shots down on the final day to beat her at the Thailand Open last weekend.
Ochoa was not the only one who floundered on the back nine, with one-time joint leader Miyazato struggling with bogeys at the 16th and 17th before a birdie on the last rescued her card.
Taiwan’s world No.2 Tseng Yani had another forgettable day, failing to make inroads by adding a 71 to her opening 72 to be five strokes adrift.
Park, based in California, is one of Creamer’s best friends on tour and she said she was honored to join her as joint leader.
AWESOME
“Getting my first win here in Singapore would be awesome, but I’m just going to take it one shot at a time,” she said, adding that Ochoa still remained the danger woman.
“You can never forget about Lorena because that girl is crazy. She makes putts from everywhere and you can never rule her out,” Park said.
“But I will try not to concern myself with the leaderboard too much until Sunday. I know getting my first win will be the toughest one,” she said.
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