Twenty-three year old Mexican superstar Lorena Ochoa looked much more confident during today’s round of golf at Jack Nicklaus’ Prospector Course at Superstition Mountain than a few weeks ago at the Mastercard Tournament from Mexico. When asked what Ochoa was most interested in as she went to the weekend she responded, “I’m very happy with my round, and I think, you know, those two shots lead and three over Annika are important. I’m going to have a little advantage in the weekend, and hopefully now if we play in the same group, or second and third place, so now we would be in the pressure thing together.”
Sorenstam, looking uncomfortable during today’s round, finished with a disappointing 69. Although ending her round with a birdie, par, birdie on 16, 17 and 18th respectively, she said, “I hit a few really weird shots today… but… I’m putting really good. I just have to stay positive”.
Currently second after today’s round at Superstition Mountain, Soo-Yun Kang put an amazing 66 on her scorecard, including a birdie at the 2nd hole, with consecutive birdies on 7, 8,9, 10 and another 2 birides on holes 13 and 15. When asked if Kang felt any pressure after moving into second place, she stated, “Not much. I’ve been in professional golf for five years in Korea and three years in the LPGA. I didn’t have a win in U.S. LPGA, but I had quite a few wins in Korea and I had a win last year in Korea, also, so I’m confident of my game and then I’m not really nervous or anything.” Kang won the World Amateur Championship in 1996 and then turned professional, apprenticed on the Futures and Korean LPGA tours until she qualified for the LPGA Tour in 2001.
Amateur Michelle Wie, currently at 4-under par, eagled the 498-yard par-5 12th hole from three feet. Her 4-wood sent her golf ball soaring from a distance of 240 yards to within three feet of the pin! Wie said after the round, “I was shooting to shoot like a lot under par, because I think the conditions are going to be tough the next few days, hearing the weather forecast, and get myself in position, you know, make a lot of birdies, don’t make bogeys, you know, just that kind of mind-set.”
Other notables in the field included Paula Creamer who shot a 71, Siew-Ai Lim, who shared the first-round lead with Ochoa, coming in at 7 under and Grace Park who shot a 67.
Golf coverage continues on the Golf Channel, 8-10 pm through Sunday.
Pos Player Tot R1 R2 Tot 1 Lorena Ochoa -12 65 67 132 2 Soo-Yun Kang -10 68 66 134 3 Annika Sorenstam -9 66 69 135 4 Siew-Ai Lim -7 65 72 137 T5 Grace Park -6 71 67 138 T5 Karen Stupples -6 67 71 138 T7 Candie Kung -5 69 70 139 T7 Juli Inkster -5 66 73 139 T9 Paula Creamer -4 69 71 140 T9 Laura Davies -4 71 69 140 T9 Liselotte Neumann -4 70 70 140 T9 *Michelle Wie -4 73 67 140 T9 Laura Diaz -4 73 67 140