Golf: Denmark's Madsen seizes two-stroke LPGA lead
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Nanna Koerstz Madsen became the first Danish player to capture an LPGA crown.
PHOTO: AFP
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen, a winner two weeks ago in Thailand, fired a five-under 67 to seize a two-stroke lead after Friday's (March 25) second round of the LPGA JTBC Classic.
Madsen became the first Danish player to capture an LPGA crown when she eagled the second play-off hole to beat China's Lin Xiyu for the Honda LPGA Thailand title on March 13.
The 27-year-old from Copenhagen birdied four of the first five holes and birdied three of the first four on the back nine to offset bogeys at the par-five eighth and 17th holes at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California.
That left Madsen on 11-under 133 after 36 holes, with New Zealand's Lydia Ko and South Korea's Choi Hye-jin sharing second on 135 and South Koreans An Na-rin and Ko Jin-young on 136 with Canada's Maude-Aimee Leblanc.
"I have confidence out there winning like two weeks ago," Madsen said. "Making a lot of good putts and hitting a lot of greens.
"It just changes you a little bit I guess, having a win on your back, especially so recently. Definitely took some pressure off."
Ko Jin-young, the world No. 1 and 18-hole leader after an opening 65, saw the end of her amazing streak of rounds in the 60s with a one-under 71 on Friday.
She answered early bogeys at the second and par-three third with birdies at the par-five fifth and eighth and another at the par-three 14th but could not keep her 60s streak going.
Coming off her 13th career LPGA title three weeks ago at Singapore, Ko completed her 32nd consecutive under-par LPGA round but her run of rounds in the 60s ended at 16.
"I tried to hit it 60s, but I couldn't," Ko said. "I don't know what happened. But greens are little tricky to me so I missed a lot of putts, so (that's) the reason why I couldn't hit it 60s today.
"I tried to calm my mind and don't be upset on the course. I'm world No. 1. Have good attitude on the course, and I did."
Madsen said she cannot worry about the top-ranked South Korean star finding her form for a weekend charge.
"You cannot think about what Jin-young Ko is doing," Madsen said. "If she decides she wants to play good, then no one can really follow her.
"As long as I'm doing what I can do, then that's good for me. If I stay positive out there, then I'm happy with that."
