ANA Inspiration Major report and scores

Putter changes work wonders for Lexi 

Thompson    and Ai Miyazato

Written By: Amy Rogers @TheAmyRogers

Amy Rogers is a Content Producer for LPGA.com

PALM SPRINGS – It's amazing what a putter change can do.


It was changes to the flat stick for both Lexi Thompson and Ai Miyazato that propelled them into a share of the lead on Friday at the ANA Inspiration. The duo holds a one-stroke lead at 7-under par.


Thompson went out in the morning wave, carding a 4-under par, 68 to take the outright lead with a birdie at the final hole that had the crowd erupting for the 2014 champion.


“Yeah, 18 is one of the best finishing holes that we have out here, but to hear the crowds cheer making that putt is definitely a good feeling,” Thompson said. “Gives me chills every time.”


Thompson is coming off her worst finish of 2016, posting a T-43 finish at the Kia Classic due in large part to an opening round 77. But Thompson made a bold switch entering the week of a major and switched to the CURE putter, which she said she knew within 20-minutes was going to be going in her bag.


“Yeah, it’s a dramatic change,” said Thompson. “Just changing to the CURE putter and a little bit different stance over the putts has given me a lot of confidence this week. I’m rolling it a lot better, and having my caddie Benji line me up has helped me out a lot too.”

Click here to watch Thompson's post-round interview

Click here to watch highlights from Thompson's second round




Friday, Miyazato continued to build on the momentum she found at last week’s Kia Classic after making an adjustment to the lie on her putter. She went out in the afternoon after sleeping on a share of the first round lead with Azahara Munoz at 5-under par and after a birdie at her second hole of the day bounced back from bogeys at par 4’s, 13 and 16 to make the turn in 35. It was staying patient that helped the former world No.1 get back on track. 


“Even though I made the bogey, afterwards I didn't try to get it back soon,” Miyazato told the media. “I'm like just par's okay on the next hole and see how it goes and just let it go and let it happen. So it was kind of a good mental control.”


Miyazato closed with two birdies and one bogey in her final four holes to move into a share of the lead with Thompson, who she will be paired with on Saturday. It’s an interesting match up that features the longest hitter on Tour in Thompson with one of the shortest but most accurate in Miyazato.


“Yeah, yeah, it will be interesting, I think. I played with her many times and I really like to play with her because she's a really good player. I know she's in good shape, so it's kind of fun to see her game too,” said Miyazato. 
“But, you know, it's just doesn't matter this golf course if you hit long or not. So just you need to be really staying with your game and have a good course management, so that's about it.”

Click here to watch highlights from Miyazato's second round




The duo leads by one ahead of a large group at 6-under par, which includes major champions Lydia Ko, In Gee Chun and Suzann Pettersen, as well as Lizette Salas, Lee-Anne Pace and Sung Hyun Park.


The cut line falls at 2-over par 146 for the week, sending several notables home including 2007 champion Morgan Pressel and Jessica Korda at +3 147 , Sei Young Kim at +4, Brittany Lang at +5 and Megan Khang at +6.
World No 1 female amateur Leona Maguire from Ireland missed out on151, the same mark as England's LET star, Melissa Reid. 

SCROLL DOWN PAST THE PICTURE TO VIEW ALL THE SECOND-ROUND SCORES

 Catriona Matthew putting on her way to a second-round 72 for 140 and a T14 position at halfway. Picture by Joyce Hunnam.

• Course: Dinah Shore Tournament Course
• Par: 72
• Yardage: 6,769

Pos	Name	1	2					Total	Strokes
T1	Lexi Thompson	69	68						137
T1	Ai Miyazato	67	70						137
T3	Sung Hyun Park	71	67						138
T3	In Gee Chun	69	69						138
T3	Lizette Salas	71	67						138
T3	Lee-Anne Pace	68	70						138
T3	Lydia Ko	70	68						138
T3	Suzann Pettersen	71	67						138
T9	Ha Na Jang	69	70						139
T9	Bo-Mee Lee	73	66						139
T9	Michelle Wie	70	69						139
T9	Minjee Lee	71	68						139
T9	Charley Hull	70	69						139
T14	Amy Yang	69	71						140
T14	Stacy Lewis	72	68						140
T14	Jodi Ewart Shadoff	72	68						140
T14	Catriona Matthew	68	72						140
T14	Ariya Jutanugarn	69	71						140
T14	Gerina Piller	69	71						140
T20	Jennifer Song	70	71						141
T20	Brittany Lincicome	72	69						141
T20	So Yeon Ryu	72	69						141
T20	Caroline Masson	70	71						141
T20	Hyo-Joo Kim	71	70						141
T25	Danielle Kang	72	70						142
T25	Karine Icher	71	71						142
T25	Mi Hyang Lee	69	73						142
T25	Paula Reto	71	71						142
T25	Sun Young Yoo	72	70						142
T25	Mika Miyazato	71	71						142
T25	Anna Nordqvist	72	70						142
T25	Brooke M Henderson	73	69						142
T25	Kris Tamulis	71	71						142
T34	Inbee Park	70	73						143
T34	Shanshan Feng	71	72						143
T34	Q Baek	73	70						143
T34	Paula Creamer	72	71						143
T34	Na Yeon Choi	70	73						143
T34	Ayako Uehara	71	72						143
T40	Mo Martin	73	71						144
T40	Kelly Shon	74	70						144
T40	Alena Sharp	70	74						144
T40	Pernilla Lindberg	71	73						144
T40	Juli Inkster	71	73						144
T40	I.K. Kim	70	74						144
T40	Austin Ernst	72	72						144
T40	Jin Young Ko	73	71						144
T48	Julieta Granada	76	69						145
T48	Hee Young Park	72	73						145
T48	Beatriz Recari	73	72						145
T48	Cristie Kerr	75	70						145
T48	Candie Kung	71	74						145
T48	Azahara Munoz	67	78						145
T48	Alison Lee	72	73						145
T48	Ryann O'Toole	69	76						145
T48	Marina Alex	75	70						145
T48	Jacqui Concolino	73	72						145
T48	Wei-Ling Hsu	73	72						145
T48	Shiho Oyama	68	77						145
T48	Hannah O'Sullivan	72	73						145
T48	Karrie Webb	72	73						145
T48	Haru Nomura	76	69						145
T48	Carlota Ciganda	72	73						145
T48	M.J. Hur	73	72						145
T65	Jenny Shin	72	74						146
T65	Ilhee Lee	74	72						146
T65	Mariajo Uribe	77	69						146
T65	Xiyu Lin	71	75						146
T65	Chella Choi	74	72						146
T65	Eun-Hee Ji	75	71						146
T65	Annie Park	73	73						146
T65	Albane Valenzuela	73	73						146
T65	Kelly Tan	70	76						146  BELOW THIS LINE  MISSED CUT
T74	Morgan Pressel	76	71						147
T74	Angela Stanford	74	73						147
T74	Julie Yang	74	73						147
T74	Caroline Hedwall	72	75						147
T74	Thidapa Suwannapura	74	73						147
T74	Sandra Gal	72	75						147
T74	Jessica Korda	73	74						147
T74	Jane Park	74	73						147
T74	Jennifer Johnson	73	74						147
T83	Cydney Clanton	72	76						148
T83	Pornanong Phatlum	76	72						148
T83	Sydnee Michaels	77	71						148
T83	Simin Feng	71	77						148
T83	P.K. Kongkraphan	74	74						148
T83	Sei-Young Kim	73	75						148
T89	Christina Kim	72	77						149
T89	Bronte Law (am)	73	76						149
T89	Yani Tseng	75	74						149
T89	Brittany Lang	74	75						149
T89	Christel Boeljon	76	73						149
T89	Sakura Yokomine	75	74						149
T95	Mirim Lee	73	77						150
T95	Andrea Lee	76	74						150
T95	Min Seo Kwak	74	76						150
T95	Megan Khang	75	75						150
T99	Moriya Jutanugarn	72	79						151
T99	Leona Maguire (am)	75	76						151
T99	Melissa Reid	74	77						151
T99	Gwladys Nocera	77	74						151
T99	Min Lee	76	75						151
T99	Tiffany Joh	77	74						151
105	Kim Kaufman	76	76						152
T106	Jaye Marie Green	74	79						153
T106	Gaby Lopez	76	77						153
T106	Maria McBride	75	78						153
109	Stephanie Meadow	76	78						154
T110	Sierra Brooks	76	79						155
T110	Karen Chung	76	79						155
-	Amy Alcott	-	-						-
-	Mina Harigae	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-