RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. - Top-ranked Stacy Lewis had her caddie back Friday, but the lead of the Kraft Nabisco Championship was nowhere in sight.
The former Arkansas Razorback followed her opening 1-over-par 73 with a 71, leaving her seven strokes behind Inbee Park heading into the weekend.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” said Lewis, the 2011 champion who won consecutive events this year in Singapore and Phoenix. “It’s a major and you want to play well here, but that’s golf. Some weeks it’s going to all come together and other weeks it’s going to be tough, and you’ve got to fight through it.”
At least Lewis didn’t have to fight through it without her caddie, Travis Wilson. Wilson was taken to an urgent care center after Thursday’s round because of flulike symptoms.
“He was fine,” Lewis said. “The media hyped it up to more than it was. He felt a little off the last few days and needed some fluids to get going again, but he felt great today and I was glad to have him.”
Park took the second-round lead Friday by making three birdies in a row early on the back nine and rebounding from a wind-blown bogey with four consecutive pars.
Finishing in gusty conditions on another hot afternoon at Mission Hills, the 24-year-old South Korean player shot a 67 to reach 7 under.
“Obviously, putted really good out there, especially on the back nine,” Park said. “The wind picked up, so it was tough out there on the back nine. Last four holes, I made all pars. I’m really happy with that.”
American Lizette Salas was a stroke back after a 68, and Sweden’s Carolina Hedwall and Italy’s Giulia Sergas followed at 5 under. Hedwall shot 68, and Sergas had a 69.
Park is seeking her second major title after winning the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open Championship. She won the LPGA Thailand in February for her fourth LPGA Tour victory when 17-year-old Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a triple bogey to blow a two-stroke lead.
“I just like to stay a little quiet and just do my own thing,” Park said. “If I win a little more, I think I’ll get a little bit more attention.”
Park hit a wedge from 70 yards to 2 feet for birdie on the par-5 11th to take the lead at 5 under, then hit 9-iron approaches to 7 feet on the next two holes to set up two birdies.
The wind pushed her tee shot on the par-3 14th into the left bunker, leading to her lone bogey of the day, and she avoided further trouble on the final four holes.
“We were playing about a club and a half of a breeze there and it was getting tough,” Park said. “I’m just happy that I have a chance on the weekend that I can win.”
The lone American in the top 11, the 23-year-old daughter of Mexican immigrants first came to the tournament as a teenager to watch Mexican star Lorena Ochoa.
“I remember watching Lorena, and I came out with a little banner for her that said ‘You can do it’ in Spanish, and I had great memories from outside the ropes,” said Salas, from Azusa. “Now, I’m trying to make some from inside the ropes.”
Michelle Wie shot a 70 to reach 2 under. She had six birdies, but three-putted the 18th for the last of her four bogeys.
Stacy Prammansudh (Conway) shot a 76 with a birdie and five bogeys and missed the cut of 5 over by a stroke.
PGA TOUR Horschel leads
SAN ANTONIO - Rory McIlory found the groove he was looking for when he made the last-minute decision to sign up for the Texas Open.
McIlroy matched the low round of the day with a 5-under-par 67 Friday and moved within three shots of the lead, continuing his last-minute preparations for next week’s Masters.
The world’s No. 2 golfer, who decided to play in the tournament late last week, had seven birdies - including his final three holes - and overcame a bogey on No. 9 after driving into the rough and catching his left shin on a nearby cactus.
The misstep dropped McIlroy to 1 under, but he rebounded with key putts on the final three holes for birdies and pulled well within reach of the leaders entering the weekend.
The 23-year-old two time major winner is three shots back of leader Billy Horschel, who birdied his last two holes to post his second consecutive 4-under 68.
A group of three players - Daniel Summerhays, Charley Hoffman and Steven Bowditch - are two shots back at 6 under, while McIlroy is tied with six others at 5 under.
Thursday’s co-leaders, Matt Bettencourt and Peter Tomasulo, each shot 1-over 73s and fell four shots off the lead.
Bryce Molder (Conway) eagled the 14th but had four bogeys in a birdie-free 74 for a 142. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) missed the cut over 1 over by a stroke, shooting a 70 with four birdies and two bogeys. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) and David Lingmerth (Razorbacks) also missed the cut with 148s, and Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) finished at 150.
WEB.COM TOUR
Lee finished with lead
SAO PAULO, Brazil - Danny Lee shot his second consecutive 6-under-par 65 to take a five-shot lead at 130over those who finished the second round of the Brasil Classic on Friday.
The second round continues today, with Richard S. Johnson at 4 under on the 11th hole. Johnson also had a 65 in the first round. Dawie van der Walt, Aron Price and Philippe Gasnier each finished to round for 135s.
Brenden Pappas (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 75 with two birdies and six bogeys for a 148.
Leaderboard at Mission Hills Country Club Dinah Shore Tournament Course (Par 72, 6,738 yards) Rancho Mirage, Calif Inbee Park ......................... 70-67-137 Lizette Salas ...................... 70-68-138 Caroline Hedwall ............... 71-68-139 Giulia Sergas ..................... 70-69-139 Hee Young Park ................ 70-70-140 ARKANSANS Stacy Lewis ....................... 73-71-144 Karen Stupples .................. 73-72-145 x-Stacy Prammanasudh ... 74-76-150 x-Missed cut
Leaderboard PGA Texas Open At JW Marriott, TPC San Antonio, Oaks Course (Par 72, 7,522 yards) San Antonio Billy Horschel ....................68-68-136 Daniel Summerhays .........69-69-138 Charley Hoffman ...............71-67-138 Steven Bowditch ...............69-69-138 ARKANSANS Ken Duke ...........................73-68-141 Bryce Molder ....................68-74-142 x-John Daly .......................71-75-146 x-David Lingmerth ............77-71-148 x-Scott Gardiner ................76-72-148 x-Tag Ridings ....................73-77-140 x-Missed the cut
WEB.COM Brazil Classic At Sao Paulo Golf Club (Par 71, 6,574 yards) Sao Paulo Suspended second of four rounds 72 golfers did not finish the second round (a-amateur) Danny Lee .........................65-65-130 Dawie van der Walt ...........69-66-135 Aron Price .........................70-65-135 Philippe Gasnier ................67-68-135 ARKANSANS Brenden Pappas .................73-75-148
Sports, Pages 19 on 04/06/2013