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PITTSFORD: American Morgan Pressel posted her second straight bogey
free round to vault into sole possession of the lead at the
$2-million LPGA Wegmans tournament on Friday.
Entering the round in a six-way tie for eighth
place, the 20-year-old shot 7-under 65 to move to a 10-under 34
total.
The jammed leaderboard after Thursday’s
opening round included a seven-way tie for first place.
Pressel compiled a string of six birdies in
eight holes, including three straight on Nos. 9 to 11.
She also birdied numbers seven, 13, 14 and 18 to
give her a one-shot lead over Suzann Pettersen of Norway.
“I saved a couple of good pars early and just
tried to stay patient,” Pressel said. “I started hitting good
shots and then was just missing the putts. I finally got a few to go
in. It’s all about momentum and keeping it going.”
Pettersen is alone in second place after
shooting a 7-under 65 to move to 9-under 135.
She started on the back nine and birdied her
first two holes before finishing strong with birdies on three of her
last four.
Pettersen had five tour wins last season but has
won only once—in Europe—this season.
“It definitely feels like I’ve been
close,” Pettersen said. “I still have to say it feels like I
played better golf than last year. I am making a few adjustments
right now to try to kind of give myself a bit more chance, a bit
more consistency.
“Other than that, I’m just trying to be very
patient.”
Asian dynamos Inbee Park and Ai Miyazato, of
Japan, are two shots behind Pressel. They each posted their second
straight 4-under 68 and sit in a tie for third.
Christina Kim and Cristie Kerr are also in the
hunt, tied for fifth at 6-under.
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa carded a 2-under 70 and
is tied for 17th place, eight shots off the pace.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who announced
she will retire at the end of this season, birdied her 17th
hole—the eighth hole on the course—and just made the cut at
1-over. She shot an even-par 72 for the round.
-- AFP
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