Defending champion Lorena Ochoa and 14-year-
old amateur Alexis Thompson are among five leaders after the completion of
Friday's second round at the Navistar LPGA Classic.
Ochoa posted a four-under 68, while Thompson carded a three-under 69 to share
the second-round lead at 10-under-par 134.
They were joined atop the leaderboard by Laura Davies (65), Giulia Sergas (65)
and Yani Tseng (63). Tseng matched the course record that had been posted four
times previously.
Last week's winner Sophie Gustafson fired a seven-under 65 to move into sixth
place at minus-nine.
First-round leader Janice Moodie (72) and Michelle Wie (70) are among five
players that stand two strokes off the lead at eight-under-par 136.
Ochoa played the back nine first on Friday and posted five birdies and two
bogeys to turn in minus-nine. On the front nine of the Senator Course at
Capitol Hill Golf Club, Ochoa birdied the first from 10 feet out.
The Mexican missed the green on the sixth and that led to a bogey. Ochoa
recovered that stroke with a seven-foot birdie putt on the par-five eighth to
share the lead.
"I'm really happy with my round today," Ochoa admitted. "It was a little bit
of a roller coaster, but I think what's important at the end of the day is I'm
in a good position for the weekend. I'm excited to be up there."
Thompson tripped to a bogey on the fourth, but that was her last dropped shot
of the round. She birdied three of the next five holes, before making par on
the first seven holes of the back nine.
The 14-year-old, whose brother Nicholas is tied for second in this week's PGA
Tour event, ran home a 20-footer for birdie on 17 to end at minus-10.
"That fourth hole, that was a pretty stupid mistake. But, I bounced back and I
made birdie next hole. So that was good. That definitely turned it around,"
said Thompson.
Davies started on No. 10 and got on the board by holing a six-iron approach
shot for eagle on the par-four 11th. She posted three birdies in four holes
from the 15th to turn in eight-under.
On the front nine, Davies parred the first four holes then made bogey on the
par-five fifth. She bounced right back with birdies on the next three holes to
jump to 10-under. Davies parred the ninth to share the lead.
"I played pretty similar to yesterday without holing the putts, and obviously
holing a six-iron, which got me off to a flier," Davies stated. "I played well
to be honest. I missed two greens and they were both with wedges."
Tseng, the 2008 McDonald's LPGA Champion, posted a bogey-free 63 with three
birdies on the front nine and six more birdies over the last eight holes to
finish at 10-under.
Sergas, who is looking for her first tour title, carded eight birdies and a
lone bogey in her round of 65.
Moodie and Wie were joined in a share of seventh place at minus-eight by Inbee
Park (69), Brittany Lang (68) and Hye Jung Choi (68).
Maria Hjorth (68), Pat Hurst (70), Sandra Gal (69) and Eunjung Yi (70) are
tied for 12th at seven-under-par 137.
The cut line fell at even-par 144 with 83 players making it to the weekend.
Among those who missed the cut were Meg Mallon, Se Ri Pak, Wendy Ward and
Erica Blasberg.
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