World News Late eagle puts Wannasaen on top, Aussie Kemp lurks Blog

by
url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url url

Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen finished with an eagle on the 18th hole and secured a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the Dana Open with a score of 65 (six under par).

After an early birdie and a bogey, Wannasaen was six under par on her final eleven holes, putting her one-stroke ahead of Sweden's Linn Grant (65) and China's Xiyu Lin (67) at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.

One step further behind with 9 under par is China's Mary Liu (65), while the next challengers with 7 under par include experienced Australian fighter Sarah Kemp.

The Sydneysider followed her 68 with a 67 and is now in fifth place, tied with five others.

Kemp made five birdies on Friday, including three in a row on holes 2, 3 and 4, but then gave one back on the fifth hole, her only bogey. The 38-year-old then stabilized and made further birdies on the 11th and 16th.

But Wannasaen is the player to catch.

“I don't think I played well on the first nine holes today either, but it's like birdie and then bogey and then par, par and then birdie again,” Wannasaen said.

“I think 4 under par is enough for the day today. I played really well on the back nine. The putter was really good on the back nine.”

On the par-5 18th hole, Wannasaen hit a three-wood shot onto the green from 237 meters and made the short putt after a birdie-four on the 17th hole.

“I'm really nervous right now and I think I'm going to do my best this weekend,” said Wannasaen, who is in the lead for the first time after 36 holes of an LPGA Tour event thanks to a personal best of 131 holes.

“I don't want to be stressed about the weekend. Yes, I'll just do my best.”

Grant, the defending champion, had eight birdies to go along with two bogeys in the second round and said her success on the par-71 course was down to familiarity.

“I think it reminds me a lot of how I play golf at my home course,” Grant said. “The turf is very similar, the ground feels similar. How I read the putts is very similar. It's just a fun place to play.”

Grant finished with birdies on holes 10, 13 and 17 and a par 5 on the 18th hole.

Grace Kim (68) is the only other Australian to make it this weekend, with three under par.

Robyn Choi (70) and Sarah Jane Smith (72) both missed the even-par cut by one point.

Leave a Comment