Pettersen closes strong, grabs Lotte Championship lead

Pettersen closes strong, grabs Lotte Championship lead










Kyle Galdeira, The Sports Xchange April 19, 2013 12:40 AMThe SportsXchange



KAPOLEI, HAWAII -- Strong winds affected Thursday's second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship at Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei, West Oahu, but Suzann Pettersen's consistent play trumped any ill effects posed by the weather.

The 10-year tour veteran turned in a 3-under 69 to take sole possession of first place at 10-under. Pettersen sank four birdies a day after notching nine birdies in her first-round effort.

Pettersen, the No. 6 player on tour, posted birdies on three of the final eight holes as she positioned herself for a run at her 11th career tour win.

"We had sunshine, rainbows, rain -- it was a great day," Pettersen said. "I got up-and-down quite a few times, and am feeling good with my putter. Once you pick up your club, it's go time. Just hanging in there today and trying not to get too comfortable. I'm feeling good, feeling sharp. I'm pretty happy with 69 today."

Ai Miyazato responded with a familiar charge to the top of the leaderboard as the event's defending champion stands alone at second place at 9-under after firing a 4-under 68 earlier in the day.

The No. 9 player in the Rolex Rankings finished her round on the front nine, and used a blistering streak of five birdies through the final seven holes, including a 20-foot birdie putt from the edge of the green on the par-3 8th, to skyrocket into the lead.

She credited her familiarity with the Bermuda grass greens for helping her to read them, and make key putts down the stretch.

The Japanese native entered this week with three top-25 finishes so far in 2013, including a runner-up position at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founder's Cup a month ago in Phoenix. Miyazato claimed last year's inaugural event, holding off Spain's Azahara Munoz and South Korea's Meena Lee by four strokes.

"It was definitely windier than (Wednesday), so it was pretty tough," Miyazato said when asked about the windy conditions. "On the back nine I made great putts out there, and it was a great finish. I'm not sure if (the wind) suits (my game), but I grew up in the wind. Hawaii is always a windy place, and it's fun to play in these weather conditions."

Hyo Joo Kim, a South Korean 17-year-old, finished at 1-under on the day to move her to 7-under, and into a third-place tie for the tournament. The KLPGA member birdied two of the final five holes to push her second-round score under par. Fellow South Korean Hee Kyung Seo, the 2011 Rookie of the Year, emerged unscathed with an even-par 72 to remain at 7-under along with Beatriz Recardi.

No. 2 ranked Stacy Lewis carded a 1-under 71 to pull into sixth place at 6-under. The two-time winner in 2013 can regain the No. 1 ranking with a victory this week.

"We we're warming up at 6:30, 7 o'clock in the morning, and the wind's howling, so going into the day sitting on the range, you knew it would be hard," Lewis said. "You had to fight for every shot. You couldn't really try to make too many birdies, you had to take some putts if they came and grind out a few pars. Anything under par today is a good score."

The winds, which were very calm on Wednesday and led to a slew of low first-round scores, were blowing steadily from 10 to 20 mph from the moment the first group teed off at 7 a.m.

Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn took a few steps back a day after shooting a tournament record-tying 8-under 64, which resulted in her owning the lead after the first round. The 17-year-old shot 75 on the heels of two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on the par-3 16th -- quite a departure from her seven birdies and an eagle notched Wednesday.

Despite the setback, the Ladies European Tour rookie remains in contention with a seventh-place mark of 5-under.

Tour veteran Se Ri Pak, fellow South Korean So Yeon Ryu and Americans Jane Rah and Austin Ernst are also tied with Jutanugarn, and remain four shots off the lead.

Notes: Top ranked Inbee Park sits in a tie for 19th place after shooting 71 to improve to 3-under. The South Korean took over the No. 1 ranking Monday following her victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship two weeks ago. ... Michelle Wie, one of two homegrown players in the field, just barely made the cut after shooting a 4-over 76. The Punahou School product hit only five of 14 fairways and seven of 18 greens in regulation, but advanced with a score of 2-over. ... The field is competing for a share of the event's $1.7 million prize purse, which includes a $225,000 winner's check.

Woods' former caddie: Tiger should have been DQ'd

Woods' former caddie: Tiger should have been DQ'd










The Sports Xchange April 19, 2013 1:40 AMThe SportsXchange



Tiger Woods' former caddie, Steve Williams, said this week that Woods should have been disqualified for taking an illegal drop during the Masters tournament last week at Augusta National.

Williams, who caddied for 13 of the 14 majors won by Woods, spoke to a television station in his native New Zealand when he offered his opinion.

"From what I can gather, he took an illegal drop, signed a scorecard and left the course," Williams told the television station. "Under most circumstances that would result in disqualification. ... If the rules of golf are upheld, I believe he should have been disqualified."

Williams was quick to admit he did not have all the facts, but did think Woods, the No. 1 player in the world, should have been disqualified. He also said that he did not believe his former boss was trying to "gain anything on the field" after his third shot to the 15th green bounced off the flagstick and into the water resulting in a penalty shot.

Woods finished in a tie for fourth while Williams' current boss, Adam Scott, won the Masters in a playoff with Angel Cabrera. It was Scott's his first major victory.

Pettersen one step closer to win No. 11 on LPGA Tour

Pettersen one step closer to win No. 11 on LPGA Tour










Kyle Galdeira, The Sports Xchange April 19, 2013 10:00 PMThe SportsXchange



KAPOLEI, HAWAII - While a slew of clever iron approaches and putts provided Suzann Pettersen with another solid round on Hawaiian turf, it was a key save from the sand that ultimately gave her the lead.

After finding a sizable bunker with her second shot on the par-4 17th, Pettersen chipped out to within two feet of the hole, putted for par, and maintained a one-shot lead at 14-under to cap Friday's third round of the LPGA Lotte Championship at Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei, West Oahu. The weather changed for the third consecutive day, as light rain showers and overcast skies provided intermittent respites from the tropical heat, and appeared to aid in the golfers' scoring ability.

Pettersen, a 10-year tour veteran, turned in a 4-under 68, her third consecutive sub-70 round this week. Pettersen drained five birdies, including three straight to begin the round, after notching 13 birdies in her first two rounds combined.

The No. 6 player on tour is now in position to collect her 11th career tour win. The native of Norway has credited multiple factors for her success in Hawaii, including new shoes that allow her to "feel the green" better, and an aggressive putting stroke that has her attacking holes on the course's generally slow greens.

South Korean Hee Kyung Seo, the 2011 Rookie of the Year, used an eagle and six birdies to post a 66 and pull to within a shot of the lead at 13-under-par.

Her iron game was spot-on as shown by Seo's second shot from behind a bunker on the par-4 15th, which plopped down just a few feet away from the cup leading to a tap-in putt for birdie.

However, a bogey on the par-4 18th, caused in part by an errant second shot that sank into a bunker behind the green, solidified her second-place standing.

Ai Miyazato, the No. 9 player in the Rolex Rankings and the event's defending champion, turned in another consistent effort of 2-under 70 after going 5-under and 4-under in the first two rounds. She now stands three shots off the lead in third place at 11-under, and leads Hyo Joo Kim (-10) by a stroke.

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis carded a 3-under 69 to pull into a three-way fifth-place tie at 9-under. The two-time winner in 2013 can regain the No. 1 ranking with a victory this week.

Lizette Salas posted an impressive 5-under round, and vaulted up to 9-under-par after starting the day tied for 13th. She was buoyed by a run of five birdies in seven holes on the front nine, and finished the round with just one bogey.

Following the round, she credited the recent switch back to a traditional, short putter from the anchored "belly" club she had been using with aiding her strong run this week.

Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, remains in the hunt and rounds out the group at 9-under-par, two days after shooting a tournament record-tying 8-under 64, which resulted in her owning the lead after the first round. The 17-year-old shot 4-under Friday on the heels of five birdies, two of which came on the final two holes.

American Jessica Korda moved up to within six shots of the lead after posting a 6-under 66 to move to 8-under. She has two top-10 finishes in 2013, and looks to add to her one career LPGA victory.

Top-ranked Inbee Park also sits in a tie for eighth place with Korda and Jodi Ewart Shadoff after shooting 67 to improve to 8-under-par. The South Korean took over the No. 1 ranking Monday following her victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship two weeks ago.

Notes: Beatriz Recari continued her incredible run of consistency, as the "Iron Woman," as fellow golfers have dubbed her, shot an even-par 72, and moved into 11th place at 7-under. The native of Pamplona, Spain, has now played in 59 consecutive LPGA events over a two-and-a-half year period, and has made 40 consecutive cuts. ... Tour veteran Se Ri Pak shot a 1-under 66, and the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member sits in a tie for 12th place at 6-under-par. ... The remaining field of 77 is competing for a share of the event's $1.7 million prize purse, which includes a $225,000 winner's check.