Wie, Ochoa and Webb tied for lead at Evian
IN: News | Ladies European | Evian Masters (2006) | Round Two | 28 Jul 2006
Michelle Wie, Lorena Ochoa and Karrie Webb and seized a three-way tie for the lead after the second round of the Evian Masters.
The World numbers 2, 3 and 4 respectively were all on a total of nine-under-par 135 with a one shot lead at the halfway stage of the tournament.
Wie, who is still only 16 years old and looking for her first professional victory, had a flawless six-under-par for the joint best score of the day with the 2004 Weetabix Women's British Open Champion Karen Stupples.
Webb, who trailed the overnight lead by a shot, fired a 68, giving herself a chance of earning her third win of the year after she won the Kraft Nabisco Championship at the beginning of April and the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, in May.
Ochoa, the current no.1 on the LPGA Tour's ADT Official money list, had a 69 today, retaining the overnight lead she shared with Mi Hyun Kim and Shani Waugh after the first round.
Kim fired a 71 today to slip into fifth position on seven-under-par while Waugh had a 73 to move into a tie for ninth with Laura Davies on five-under. An eagle three at the last where she chipped in from the edge of the green helped Waugh's campaign.
Se Ri Pak, the winner of June's McDonalds LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola, the second major championship of the year, had a second successive 68 today to move into outright fourth position on eight-under-par, one shot adrift of the leaders.
The defending champion, Paula Creamer moved into a share of sixth place with Lorie Kane and the World no.1 Annika Sorenstam, all on six-under-par.
Wie, who is appearing in her 31st tournament on the LPGA Tour, is making her third appearance in the Evian Masters and she finished tied for 33rd in the tournament in 2004 and tied for second with Ochoa last year.
"I thought I played very solid today," Wie said. "I made some good pars and I feel a lot better then yesterday. I still feel like I left a lot of shots out there, but overall my game feels good. Hopefully, I will be able to maintain it.
"Starting with the 12th hole I had so many birdie chances. I hit good putts and rolled it good but it just kind of went by the hole. I could have made a couple more putts, but I am still happy with the way I played today."
The former World no.1, Karrie Webb, from Australia, said: "I am really happy with the golf I have played this year and I am hoping to finish off the way I started. There are a lot of good tournaments left, so hopefully I can play well. I feel like I am swinging it just as good right now as I have all year, if not better. Hopefully I will give myself a few chances.
"It was good to birdie the last, to get one back, after stumbling on a few holes. It was really more important to get it because of that then to be tied for the lead."
With 36 holes to be played, Mexico's Ochoa is well in contention for her third win of the season after claiming the LPGA Takefuji Classic and Sybase Classic titles already this year. She said: "I think I am in a good position for the weekend. I did struggle a little bit on the back nine with three bogeys. That was tough, but I ended up making two birdies on the last three holes, but I feel ok. I am hitting the ball pretty good, but I am going to go and practice some short putts and get ready for tomorrow."
Sorenstam, aiming for a third win in the event, added: "Today didn't feel as good as yesterday. Yesterday I had a lot of chances, today was a little bit up and down type of day. Luckily I made a birdie on the last so that makes me feel a little better."
"I mean I know how to play this golf course, I know the greens and I feel like I'm swinging well enough to do it so maybe if I go to the range and work something out, maybe practice a little bit, I'll be able to do it."
Source - LET
Photo - WireImage.com
