Evian (France) (AFP)
South Korean Lee Mi-hyang, still in search of a major title, has thrilled Paula Creamer of the United States as the head of the Evian Championship, the fifth and final throne of the women's golf Grand Slam but played this year before British Open, after the second round on Friday, ahead of three of his compatriots.
Despite a double bogey (+2) in the 9th hole, Lee, 2nd at ANA Inspiration, the first major tournament of the year, returned a 67-card thanks to an eagle (-2) and four birdies ( -1) for a total of 132, being 10 under par. She is one step ahead of her compatriots Park In-bee (7 majors on the charts), Park Sung-hyun, N.1 World, and Kim Hyo-joo.
After making one of the best charts of her career on Thursday (64), Paula Creamer (US Open 2010) suffered a lot (76) and dropped to 24th (-2, 140). Australian Hannah Green, who won the PGA Championship in June, barely saved her place (+2), while defending champion Angela Stanford was eliminated (+8).
The heat wave, followed by a storm that interrupted for a moment the parties on Friday, wreaked havoc among the crowned heads. In addition to Stanford, several players already titled in major tournaments were eliminated at the "cut", set at +2: Lee Jeong-eun +3 (US Open 2019), Lexi Thompson +7 (ANA 2014, 2nd at Evian in 2015) , Lydia Ko +9 (Evian 2015, ANA 2016).
In France, Céline Herbin is 31st (-1) and Céline Boutier 47th (+1), while amateur Pauline Roussin-Bouchard has been eliminated (last with +23).
Classification after the second round (par 71):
1. Lee Mi-Hyang (KOR) -10 132 (65-67)
2. Park Sung-hyun (KOR) -9133 (67-66)
. Kim Hyo-joo (KOR) -9 (69-64)
. Park In-bee (KOR) -9 (65-68)
5. Fang Shanshan (CHN) -7,135 (69-66)
6. Caroline Hedwall (SWE) -6,136 (72-64)
. Amy Olson (USA) -6 (70-66)
. Pajaree Anannarukarn (THA) -6 (68-68)
. Kim Sei-young (KOR) -6 (68-68)
. Jennifer Kupcho (USA) -6 (66-70)
. Ko Jin-young (KOR) -6 (65-71)
12. Choi Chella (KOR) -5 137 (67-70)
13. Albane Valenzuela (SUI / ama.) -4138 (72-66)
. Alex Mariana (USA) -4 (71-67)
. Megan Khang (USA) -4 (68-70)
. Charley Hull (ENG) -4 (68-70)
. Mel Reid (ENG) -4 (66-72)
. Brittany Altomare (USA) -4 (65-73)
...
24. Paula Creamer (USA) -240 (64-76)
31. Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) -1 141 (70-71)
. Céline Herbin (FRA) -1 (69-72)
47. Céline Boutier (FRA) 1 143 (71-72)
64. Hannah Green (AUS) 2 144 (72-72)
Eliminated at the "cut":
. Lee Jeong-eun (KOR) 3 145 (72-73)
. Lexi Thompson (USA) 7,149 (77-72)
. Angela Stanford (USA) 8,150 (76-74)
. Lydia Ko (NZL) 9151 (78-73)
. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (FRA / ama) +23 165 (87-78)
© 2019 AFP