Ahn maintains lead at Royal Pines
IN: News | ALPG | ANZ Ladies Masters (2007) | Round Two | by Bruce Young | 09 Feb 2007
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Ahn Sun Ju took up pretty much where she left off in round one when she teed off at 12.00 in today's second round of the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast. After a quiet start with two opening pars, the 19 year old reeled off three consecutive birdies from the third and in doing so moved two ahead of those who had finished their morning rounds an hour or so earlier. When she added the almost obligatory birdie at the par five 9th, she was ahead by three over Lotta Wahlin, and by four over Tamie Durdin, both of whom were already in the clubhouse.
Twenty minutes behind Ahn, but on the other side of the golf course, the New South Wales golfer, Michelle Ellis, who had opened with a first round of 67, was quickly into stride on day two when she birdied her first hole of the day which was the 10th of the course. She added further birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th and made the turn at four under for the day and 9 under for the tournament.
A further birdie at the par four second and she was on her own in second place and two behind the leader. She added another birdie at the reachable par five 3rd hole (her 12th) and was hot on the heels of the leader, Ahn, at that stage.
Ellis has played well at Royal Pines in the past, her power hitting an advantage on a golf course that typically rewards long hitters. She was third behind the playoff pair of Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb in 2002 and was 10th the following year but in recent years Ellis's game has slipped away on the USLPGA Tour where she has plied her trade since turning professional. There have been reasons for it however.
In 2004 she suffered an injury while playing in the US Open. It was a slipped rib and it troubled her for almost two years before things began to improve in 2006. Things were not good at home either as her father battled with cancer which eventually led to the loss of a leg. Ellis though looked at things a little differently in relation to her father.
"My Dad's illness has been an inspiration to me in many ways as I am keen to play well for him. He has been here this week and it is great to have family and friends here for this event."
At about the same time as Ellis was closing in on the leader, Karrie Webb, who had started the tournament so slowly with an opening round of just 71 in the perfect morning conditions of day one, appeared on the front page of the leaderboard. Webb raced to the turn in four under 33 and added a further birdie at the 10th to be at six under par for the tournament.
Those ahead, who had bothered to take a look at the leaderboard, would have been hearing her footsteps but she was about to do them a big favour and make her task of a sixth win in the event just that more difficult when she double bogeyed the 12th to slip back to four under. A poor pitch from behind the green there was followed by a three putt and the resultant double bogey brought much of her good work undone. She was about to add further to her woes when she dropped yet another shot at the 14th. She was then at just three under but a strong finish which included two birdies in her last four holes saw her finish at five under and she has given herself a chance over the weekend.
Ahn edged ahead again when she birdied the 15th and remained at 13 under until a bogey at the tough final hole. "I had a lot of chances today, she said through an interpreter. "I was disappointed not to have made them and in fact I was getting down on myself after nine holes." Things might well have been lost in translation between her and her Korean interpreter as she was at four under for the day through nine holes, hardly a reason to get down on herself. She was not keen on the wind that increased in strength throughout the day however, but feels confident and believes she can win this tournament.
Ellis added two further birdies and two bogeys to finish her round and at 11 under stood just one behind.
Cristie Kerr is the number four player in the world and the leading American at present and as such has strengthened the balance of the overall field to that which lined up last week in Sydney. The American opened with a first round of 69 and today was still at three under when she made the turn. A birdie at the 10th from 25 feet was followed by four more pars before she eagled the par five 15th after chipping in from off the green and all of a sudden she was at 6 under and inside the top ten.
She missed a good opportunity at the 16th for birdie but finished with two pars to be at six under, six shots behind Ahn and in 9th position when she finished.
"I didn't hit it all that well today but managed my way round the course pretty well. I birdied and the 10th and then chipped it from off the front of the green at the 15th. I'm off to the range to see if I can sort things out a little and if I can light it up tomorrow then it is still anybody's ball game."
Rachel Hetherington has played well on occasions here at Royal Pines but the last twelve months have not seen her at her best. A multiple winner on the LPGA Tour, Hetherington has for several years been Australia's number two player behind Karrie Webb but in the last twelve months others have challenged her for that honour. Today she displayed why she is still a force to be reckoned with, producing a round of 67 to be at seven under and in 6th place.
"I feel like I have played well here in the past and today it was a case of the putts going in. If the putts keep going in then I can win," she responded when asked that very question.
Hetherington started working with American coach Dave Whelan after 18 years with Ian Triggs and feels confident about the way she is striking the ball.
"I started working with Dave initially to improve my short game but it has developed from there." Whelan lives about an hour and a half from Hetherington's home in Florida and also coaches the young American star Paula Creamer.
At the end of a day where the play seemed to take an eternity, Sun Ju Ahn led by one over Michelle Ellis and by two over Swede Lotta Wahlin with Tamie Durdin and Shin Ji Yai one further back again.
