Advertisement

Two share lead at Women's PGA Championship

 
Mirim Lee shoots 2-under 69 in the second round of the Women’s PGA Championship to co-lead at 2-under 140.
Mirim Lee shoots 2-under 69 in the second round of the Women’s PGA Championship to co-lead at 2-under 140.
Published June 11, 2016

SAMMAMISH, Wash. — Brooke Henderson and Mirim Lee withstood a wild weather day to share the lead halfway through the Women's PGA Championship on Friday.

Playing in the afternoon, Henderson, the first-round leader, and Lee fought through a mix of heavy rain, wind and a significant drop in temperature at Sahalee Country Club.

After six straight pars, Henderson birdied the par-3 17th, but the 18-year-old Canadian bogeyed the 18th for 2-over 73 that dropped her back into a tie with Lee (69) at 2-under 140.

"Overall it was a pretty steady day," Henderson said.

Lee started on the back nine and surged when she got to the front, making three birdies before dropping a shot late.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko was a stroke back along with Gerina Piller and Seminole's Brittany Lincicome. Ko scrambled to 70 in her bid to win her third straight major. Piller had 69, and Lincicome, a two-time major winner, shot 70.

Three-time defending champion Inbee Park missed the cut a day after wrapping up an LPGA Hall of Fame spot. She shot 8-over 79 to drop to 9 over. The cut line was 7 over. The top 70 plus ties made it.

"On the back nine I just couldn't get a rhythm with the swing and I missed a lot of shots to the right, what I have been doing in the last month or so," Park said.

Park has been dealing with inflammation in the tendons and ligaments around her left thumb. She shot 1-over 72 Thursday, the round she needed to complete the 10-year requirement for the Hall of Fame. At 27, she became the youngest player to accomplish the feat.

PGA: Daniel Berger shot a season-best 6-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead at 9-under 131 in the St. Jude Classic at Memphis. Berger has started well despite breaking in a new driver and 3-wood after his old clubs cracked from age last week.

Tom Hoge, part of a three-way tie for the lead after the first round, was second after 69. Tied for third at 5 under were Dustin Johnson (69), Phil Mickelson (65) and Brooks Koepka (65).

Mickelson, winless since the 2013 British Open, matched his low round this year with six birdies and one bogey. He's fine-tuning his game for the U.S. Open next week, the one major that has eluded him in his career.

"I'm very excited that I'm in contention, that I have a good opportunity heading into the weekend," Mickelson said.

Shawn Stefani, one of the first-round leaders, shot 71 and was tied with eight others at 4 under. Seung-yul Noh, the other first-round leader, shot 72 and was 3 under.

Champions: Two-time defending champion Bernhard Langer pulled within a stroke of leader Brandt Jobe in the Senior Players Championship at Flourtown, Pa. Langer shot 2-under 68 at windy Philadelphia Cricket Club for 1-under 139 in the third of the tour's five major championships. Jobe topped the leaderboard at 2 under after his second straight 69. Only six players were under par after two rounds on the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Wissahickon Course. Scott Dunlap had 69 to match Langer at 1 under. First-round leader Jay Don Blake (72) was at par with Wes Short Jr. (69) and Bart Bryant (71).