Ryann O’Toole is ‘Hungry’ for An Opportunity To Play With World No.1
Ryann O’Toole has never won on the LPGA Tour, but through two rounds of the CME Group Tour Championship, she’s right there – lurking three shots back going into the weekend.
The only problem is that she’s chasing Lydia Ko, who is coming off a 10-under par 62.
That, however, hasn’t fazed O’Toole. In fact, she’s looking forward to Saturday’s final pairing.
“I could care either way. Maybe it'll be good. I know I'll outdrive her, so at least I have that advantage,” she said of tomorrow’s grouping. “Still stick to my own game plan. She's going to make birdies. I don't doubt that. She might take it deep again. Just going to be what it is.”
“I think if we were in a running match, I could outrun her. I’m giving her a head start,” she continued with a laugh.
O’Toole admitted she didn’t have her ‘A’ game today, but ranked it a solid B-plus.
“I think usually my drives are my strong point. Right now I'm hitting these little cuts that aren't going as far as they could. Definitely could give me shorter irons in,” she explained. “But I'm striking my irons well, putting myself in position, and I'm making work. If that's the case I have to take the rest of the week, then so be it. I mean, I've gotten it done so far.”
And as far as tomorrow goes, she knows there’s still a lot of golf left.
“Anything can happen,” she said. “Three shots is three birdies right off the bat. It's how well can I play the golf course. It's not Sunday tomorrow. It's Saturday. If I can keep myself in position, that would be great.”
Defending Champion Cristie Kerr Climbs the Leaderboard
Cristie Kerr’s last victory came on this very course at the 2015 edition of the CME Group Tour Championship, and after a 5-under par 67 Friday moved her up to a tie for 10th, she’s in position for a repeat.
“I just struggled a little with my swing coming in, but I played great today. I had a great front nine,” she said.
Her opening nine holes saw Kerr get to 4-under for the day. She birdied No.10 to get to 5-under, and then parred in for a bogey-free Friday, including a tough par-saver on 18, which she said was ‘necessary.’
Kerr is wearing a brace on her knee, and admitted post-round that she is feeling a ‘little sore.’
“I’m going to get it checked out when we get done with the season and see what the doctors say,” she said. “I guess it's kind of like maybe just some inflammation. That's why I'm wearing the sleeve, to keep the in inflammation down. I kind of look like a basketball player out there minus the height.”
Kerr said, despite the fact that she is the defending champion, she came into this week a little under the radar, as the battle for Player of the Year rages on between Lydia Ko – who fired a 10-under par 62 and leads by three – and Ariya Jutanugarn.
“I haven’t won a tournament this year, so if they’re in a mini-slump then I need to get going,” she stated with a smile. “(I just need) two more good days. I’ve been putting really well, so I’ve given myself a chance.”
Bogey-Free Friday Moves Mariajo Uribe Into The Top Ten
By her own admission, Mariajo Uribe is usually tired by this time of the season.
Not this year, though.
Uribe, who fired a bogey-free 6-under par 66 Friday to move into a tie for 6th, has notched top-15 finishes in three of her last four events. And it seems like there is no slowing the Colombian down.
“I'm excited. I'm playing good. Playing in Asia help me. I am not tired. Usually by the time you get here you're like so tired, so over it, you want the season to be done,” she admitted Friday. “But right now I'm actually excited to be playing and really want to keep playing good to keep moving up in the standings. It's kind of been a different year, and it’s given me perspective on how to approach this tournament in the next couple years.”
Uribe said she changed the weights around in her putter due to the quickness of the greens at Tiburon Golf Club, which, she said, seemed to help.
“I (played) pretty similar than yesterday, but just didn't make the stupid mistakes I did yesterday and made a couple more putts,” she explained. “I had fun. It was nice to get out first, one of the first off, and play a little faster.”
Uribe wasn’t even in the field for the CME Group Tour Championship up until she had her solid recent stretch. Her result in Mexico at the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by AeroMexico and Delta pushed her over the edge, though.
“I was 90% in (this) tournament, but still had to go there (to Mexico) and shoot the numbers to get in,” she stated. “This course usually hasn't liked me, so I really wanted to come with like a fresh mindset and really take advantage of it.”
So Yeon Ryu Credits Attitude Adjustment For Good Play
Despite two bogeys on her front nine Friday at the CME Group Tour Championship, So Yeon Ryu battled back with six birdies and her 4-under par 68 has her in a tie for second going into the weekend.
Ryu said speaking with her psychologist at home has motivated her even more to believe in herself on the golf course.
“She always said ‘So Yeon, you're always really great to find the motivation. You're always really great at finding something to improve. So just (be) proud of yourself no matter what the result. If you keep trust yourself, it's going to be great,” said Ryu. “Somehow after she said that to me I was able to switch my mind. I don't know what was it, but I been working with her (for) like ten years. After having really positive word from her, I was able to have a lot of positive energy.”
Ryu hasn’t captured a title on the LPGA Tour since 2014, but she has notched three top-5 finishes in her last five starts. Even without a victory, she still feels as though she’s been playing good golf.
“Like a lot of people say, if someone haven't really won a tournament they are not really having a successful year. But finishing second is still good, finishing fifth is still great result on the LPGA,” she explained. “I just keep trying to having a positive attitude. ‘Okay, I'm capable to win the tournament. I'm capable to being in contention. I'm capable to competing great players on the tour.’ I think that attitude definitely help me out.”
And, even though Ryu will be paired with world No.1 Lydia Ko Saturday, after Ko’s course-record 62 Friday, she’s very much looking forward to the grouping, as Ryu says they have a lot of fun together.
“It's think it's definitely going to be really fun to competing with world No. 1 player. And then, you know, like she is not only great player, she's really great person,” explained Ryu. “I think I really enjoy to play with her. She loves food like me, so we just talk a lot of thing about food when we are on the golf course.”
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