Friday’s Second-round Recap
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park finds herself in the hunt for her seventh LPGA Tour victory in 2013 and holds a share of the second-round lead with American Cristie Kerr at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. The duo are sitting at 8-under-par and lead France native and 2013 European Solheim Cup Team member Karine Icher (67-66) and 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team member Angela Stanford (65-68) by one shot.
Park fired a 5-under 65 and got off to a hot start, going birdie-birdie on her first two holes. She holed out from the bunker on the par 4 first hole from about 20 yards and said a birdie on the first hole has always been a sparkplug for her.
“I always love to start with a birdie,” said Park. “It's like a good luck charm for me. I almost never finish around over par when I start with a birdie, and I love to start the hole with a birdie. That was a good start.”
Park had 25 putts on Friday, one less than her 26-putt total in the first round and to no one’s surprise, ranks tied for sixth this week with a 1.39 putting average.
“I hit the ball really good, and I obviously putted really good out there,” said Park. “On these greens, you can two‑putt from anywhere. I think it's pretty good. If you slightly over-hit it, you can easily three‑putt. So the three‑putt is something that I was trying to avoid. I kind of three‑putted just off the green on number 2 which was a little disappointing. Except for that, I think I putted really good and putted really solid out there.”
Park played with co-leader Cristie Kerr in the first two rounds at Royal Mayfair Golf Club and said the two of them definitely played off one another’s birdies.
“I think it's always good when you're playing with a partner while she's making a lot of birdies and it makes you want to have more birdies,” said Park. “It already felt like a final round, and trying to make more birdies and trying to get the momentum going.”
Kerr agreed and said she always looks forward to playing with the No. 1 player in the world.
“It's always fun to play with Inbee,” said Kerr. “She always plays well, and I enjoy playing with her. Probably going to play with her again tomorrow.”
Kerr shot her second-consecutive round of 66 on Friday which included six birdies and two bogeys. The 17-year LPGA Tour veteran is pleased with her all-around game, despite being dealt a back-swing interruption in her third shot on the 18th hole. She said she wants to maintain her solid play throughout the weekend and just avoid bogeying the final hole like she did in the first two rounds.
“It's kind of both the same days,” said Kerr. “I mean, geez, 4‑under on this golf course is great. I'm mad at myself for knocking my last tee shot, but I did so much good stuff in the last couple days. I mean, you can't do anything about a porta potty door slamming in your back swing, and it was what it was. I sucked it up, and I made a really good two‑putt for bogey. Just got to do the same thing and not bogey the last hole.”
Defending champion and first-round co-leader Lydia Ko shot 1-under 69 and sits two shots back in a tie for fifth at 6-under-par. Playing partner and 17-year old England native Charley Hull shot a 4-under 66 and is in a tie for eighth at 5-under par.
It looks to be an entertaining weekend at Royal Mayfair Golf Club as a number of other notable players are right near the top of the leaderboard. Rolex Rankings No. 11 Paula Creamer and LPGA legend Laura Davies sit two shots back in a tie for fifth with Ko at 6-under-par. Creamer is looking for her first win since the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open while Davies, a 20-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory since 2001.
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