FROM THE LPGA SYMETRA TOUR WEBSITE
Canadian Alena Sharp made a surge up the leaderboard on Friday to
take a two-shot lead heading into the final round at the Symetra
Classic. Sharp is bogey-free so far this week, carding three birdies on
the first day followed by four more on Friday to take the lead at
7-under par. She holds a two stroke lead over UCLA alum Tiffany Joh and
Michigan State’s Laura Kueny.
Sharp, who also plays part-time on the Cactus and LPGA Tours, put
herself in contention earlier this year at the VisitMesa.com Gateway
Classic at Longbow Golf Club in Arizona but finished second to Jaclyn
Sweeney.
Sharp has yet to make a cut in four starts this year on the LPGA
Tour, but a few adjustments to her swing last week might be the key to
earning her first-career Symetra Tour win.
“I just started a new swing move last week and have just been working
on that,” said Sharp. “I’m doing more follow through than backswing so I
just have a lot of energy going through the target and it’s really
straightened my shots out. I’m putting well, I haven’t missed many
greens and if I have, I’m putting. It’s been really good, consistent.”
The par-5 16th hole has played in Joh’s favor this week as
she carded her second eagle on the hole during Friday’s round. With two
bogeys and two birdies through 15 holes, Joh’s eagle helped her jump up
the leaderboard to sit a tie for second. Having only played the
Raintree Country Club just this week, she says she felt comfortable
placing the ball where it needs to be on the hole.
“It was really the 16th hole that saved me today but other
than that I was hitting it alright,” said Joh on her round. “I think it
was playing a little harder today because the winds were very switchy.
“But the 16th hole, you don’t even have to really hit
driver off the tee, you just have to hit something that goes 220 so I
just hit three wood,” said Joh. “It’s all placement on that hole, you
just have to keep it left of the bunker then it will take that hill. I
had about a 217 yard downhill shot so I just took 5-wood and told myself
not to chunk it and I didn’t. Then I hit it to about 6-feet and made
that for eagle.”
Kueny’s name has only touched the leaderboard a few times throughout
her career, owning only one top-10 finish during her four-years on the
Road to the LPGA. But this week, she has found consistency in her game
that has kept her only a few strokes off the leader’s pace.
“It feels great to be up there,” said Kueny. “It’s been a struggle
since wrist surgery two years ago. I finally feel like my game is
finally coming back together. Whatever happens, happens tomorrow. I’m
just very excited to have the opportunity to win. God will take care of
it.”
Norway native and LPGA Tour rookie Marita Engzelius sits three
strokes behind Sharp after carding a 3-under 69 on Friday, taking her
two-day total to 4-under par.
Olivia Jordan-Higgins, the only Brit in the field, missed the cut by one shot with scores of 73 and 76 for 149.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE