Henderson Fires Round of the Week and More from Second Round in Chinese Taipei

Brooke Henderson started her second round off with a birdie, and kept it rolling from there for a bogey-free second-round 64, the lowest round of the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA thus far. The 22-year-old Canadian said the highlight of her round Friday was stuffing a 3-wood from 225-yards to five feet for an eagle on No. 12. Henderson began the second round five strokes off the lead and ended it just three shots back.

“I had a great day going and made a lot of birdies,” Henderson said. “It was a lot of fun. Felt like Britt and I were judging the wind really well and hitting great shots, which is always great. To finish out making a few putts was really nice.”

After a disappointing opening-round 71, Henderson enjoyed the challenge of catching up to the front-runners on Friday.

“I love seeing my name near the top of the leaderboard and trying to chase down the leaders, I was trying to go low today and make something happen. Just trying to chase some birdies.”

The Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA will mark Henderson’s last event until the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, and she said she’s looking for a nice finish this week to cap off her Asia swing.

“It's been really awesome,” Henderson said of the Asia swing. “It's really fun and it's such an amazing experience to come over here to China and Korea and here in Taiwan. Been able to sight see a little bit, too, which is really cool. We're excited to go back to Florida next week, but we've really enjoyed it. It would be really nice to finish off strong this week.”

HUR’S LUCKY CHARM AT WORK AGAIN

Mi Jung Hur married Kevin Wang (Korean name: Teh Yih) in January of 2018. Since then the 10-year LPGA veteran says she has played more freely and generally has been happier on and off the golf course. That happiness has translated into a successful 2019 season for Hur, with two wins and eight other top-20 finishes. 

Hur holds a one-stroke advantage through two rounds at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, with her husband and parents in the gallery. Kevin rarely gets to attend LPGA events, however, he has been at both of her wins this year and Hur joked that he might have to come every week as her good luck charm.   

“Yeah, there's a little bit of pressure with my family,” Hur said. “The whole family are here. But they were there last week, as well, so getting used to it. Just try to do my best…Actually, he [her husband] travelled with me I think six times for this year now. I've got two wins, and everybody is saying he's the lucky charm, so I look forward to this weekend, as well.” 

On the course, the weather hasn’t been as extreme as what Hur conquered during her win at the 2019 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, but she said she is enjoying the advantage she has playing in the wind. 

“Actually my ball flight is pretty low. I hit shots pretty low,” Hur explained. “I practiced a lot of lower shots, like a punch shot during The Scottish Open, and even this week, as well, because there is so much wind and rain, as well. It helps me a lot, because if you have into the wind with a 7-iron, you have to have a 5-iron in your hands here. A lot of players try to fit the wind; me, as well, but me, I think my ball can help in a hurting wind because it's so low.”  

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 22 Mi Jung Hur (66-66)

• Hur hit 10 of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens, with 24 putts
• Hur is making her sixth start at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, her lone top-10 finish came in 2013 (T8)
• Hur is 2-for-5 with wins when holding at least a share of the 36-hole lead
• In 2019, Hur has made 21 starts with five top-10 finishes including wins at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and the Indy Women in Tech Championship
• Hur’s win at the 2019 Indy Women in Tech Championship was her first career wire-to-wire win
• Hur is one of six players to have multiple wins this season, joining Hannah Green (2), Brooke Henderson (2), Jin Young Ko (4), Sei Young Kim (2) and Sung Hyun Park (2)

Rolex Rankings No. 8 Nelly Korda (66-67)

• Korda hit 12 of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
• Korda is making her third career start at the event, she won in 2018 and finished T27 in 2017
• In 2019, Korda has made 18 starts with 10 top-10 finishes including a win at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open
• Became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the 2018 Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, which was played at the Ta Shee Golf and Country Club
• Korda and her older sister Jessica (five wins) are one of three sets of sisters in LPGA history to both win titles, joining Annika Sorenstam (72 wins) and Charlotta Sorenstam (one win), and Ariya Jutanugarn (10 wins) and Moriya Jutanugarn (one win)

Rolex Rankings No. 38 In-Kyung Kim (69-65)

• Kim hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 26 putts
• Kim is making her fifth career start at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA this week and first since 2016, her best finish was T15 in 2014
• This is Kim’s 14th start of the 2019 LPGA Tour season, she has posted one top-10 finish (T4 - ANA Inspiration)
• Kim is in her 13th season on the LPGA Tour; she has seven career victories, including a major championship at the 2017 AIG Women’s British Open

Rolex Rankings No. 9 Minjee Lee (67-67)

• Lee hit 8 of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens, with 25 putts
• Lee is making her fifth start at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA this week, in four previous appearances she has never finished outside the top 20 with a runner-up finish in 2018 
• In 2019, Lee has made 23 LPGA starts with seven top-10 finishes including a win at the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open and three runner-up results
• Lee is a five-time LPGA winner; only Karrie Webb (41), Jan Stephenson (16) and Rachel Hetherington (eight) have more LPGA wins among Australian players

AON RISK REWARD CHALLENGE SCENARIOS

The season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge highlight's the world's best professional golfers as they tackle the most strategically challenging holes across both the LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR schedules. Players will take their best two scores from each Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole, with the winners having the best average score to par at the end of the regular season. The player from each Tour on top of the Aon leaderboard at the end of the regular season will receive a $1 million prize. 

Heading into the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, only three players have a chance to catch Carlota Ciganda who leads the standings at -0.841 and is not playing the final two qualifying events. Ariya Jutanugarn who is in second at -0.800, In-Kyung Kim who is in third at -0.750 and Hyo Joo Kim who is seventh at -0.706, all three are in the field at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA and the TOTO Japan Classic.

Jutanugarn and In-Kyung Kim have the following three scenarios to catch Ciganda: Birdie, Birdie, Eagle, Eagle; Birdie, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle; Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle. Hyo Joo Kim must have four eagles to catch Ciganda.

The designated Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA is the 342-yard 8th. This par 4 has multiple teeing areas and presents a wonderful risk-reward opportunity for the player, depending on yardage for the day. It will be set up from the forward tee at just 255 yards for at least two of the four rounds. Two long bunkers guard the left side of the fairway, close to the landing area, while another bunker (short and right of the green) lies in wait for a poorly struck second shot.

Here's how the players in contention have fared in the first two rounds:

For more information about the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, visit www.lpga.com/statistics/aon-risk-reward-challenge. 

RACE TO THE CME GLOBE NEARING THE FINISH LINE

Heading into the 30th week of the 2019 Race to the GME Globe, four-time winner Jin Young Ko leads the standings with 4,148 points. Two-time 2019 winner Brooke Henderson is second with 2,772 points, followed by Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Jeongeun Lee6 with 2,652 points. 

The 2019 season brings a fresh face to the Race to the CME Globe. LPGA Members will accumulate points at each official LPGA Tour event leading up to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 60 points earners and ties will then earn a spot in the CME Group Tour Championship, with the entire field competing for the $5 million purse and the $1.5 million winner’s check, the largest single prize in the history of women’s golf.

At this week’s Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA several players are on the bubble of making it into the CME Group Tour Championship. In-Kyung Kim, who is 71st in the Race to the CME Globe standings, is poised to make a move as she heads into the weekend tied for third at -10. 

Players must finish in the top 40 and ties at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA to earn Race to the CME Globe points.