Miyazato playing well in final U.S.-based LPGA event
Ai Miyazato announced earlier this year that 2017 was going to be her final season on the LPGA Tour before retiring at 32.
And she intends to go out with a bang.
Miyazato, who is playing her final event on U.S. soil this week in Portland, fired a 5-under-par 67 on Friday and sits just two shots off the lead heading into the weekend.
“I'm enjoying my game. This is so much fun for me, especially this tournament. You know, I won 2010 and I have such great memories and I love this tournament and I love all the people. They are very supportive,” she said.
“Hopefully I can keep it going. I really want to play well this week.”
In 2010 Miyazato not only captured the Cambia Portland Classic presented by JTBC, but five other events en route to ascending to the top of the world rankings.
She admitted she was ‘glad’ to have made the decision to retire.
“I was kind trouble to make the decision last few years,” she said. “Even though after I announced my retirement I been really happy and, you know, I been really positive about my game and trying to enjoy best as much as I could out there. I’ve been playing really good, so it's not surprise me these scores today.”
Henderson on track for a repeat
Through two rounds, Brooke Henderson has done everything she could to try to become one of only a handful of golfers on the LPGA Tour to ever three-peat at a tournament, as she co-leads heading into the weekend in Portland.
But she knows she’s left a few out there on both Thursday and Friday.
“I made a lot of birdies and an eagle, which is awesome. Although I made a couple bogeys that I would like to take off the card for the next few days,” she said.
Henderson dunked her approach on the par-4 11th with a short iron for an eagle, calling the experience ‘pretty cool.’ “It was a really tough shot, and to see it go in just made me really happy. That kind of changed my day,” she explained.
Although Henderson is the two-time defending champion, the focus hasn’t been on her as aggressively as it was last week in her hometown of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She’s been enjoying herself in Portland, and so far, her plan on the golf course has been working well.
“I think just keep everything the same,” said Henderson when asked if she’ll change her approach at all over the next two days. “Seems to be working so far. I love this tournament and it's really been special to me. Hopefully I can go out and make the next few days special, too.”
Lewis focused on giving back
Although Stacy Lewis has a golf tournament to win – something she’s trying to do for the first time since 2014 – she continues to focus hard on the charitable aspect of the week, as she raises funds for her adopted hometown of Houston, Texas.
Lewis, who said prior to the tournament beginning that she would donate her entire week’s winnings to the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, shares the lead through two rounds, sitting at 10-under par.
“I think just you have a lot of good positive momentum on your side, a lot of people cheering for you, a lot of people encouraging just because they want to see you do well because they want to see that big check go to Houston,” said Lewis, who has lived in Houston since she was 11.
Lewis fired an 8-under-par 64 on Friday, her second-best round of the season, to move into a tie for first. She said if she was to win this week, it would be on of her ‘most special’ victories.
“It would probably be up there with a major. That was the goal to start the week, was to take a big check home,” she said. “That's still the goal. Now I'm in a good spot to do that.”
Shadoff shaking off Solheim rust
By her own admission, it’s been a long few weeks for Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who played in her second Solheim Cup competition two weeks ago for Europe, amassing a 1-3-0 record.
But she’s rounded into form through two rounds in Portland, after rounds of 69-67 have her at 8-under par heading into the weekend, and just two shots back of the lead.
“I didn't have a great week last week. A little bit tired coming off Solheim,” she said. “But I had some rest at the start of the week and feel fresh again. Hit some great putts today, so that's good for my confidence going into the weekend.”
Shadoff said the stress of the Solheim Cup was a ‘tiring week full of emotions,’ but she’s managed to refocus and get back to business this week, as she looks for her first LPGA Tour victory. Her best finish on Tour was a tie for second (she notched that in 2016) and she looks to do one better into the weekend in Portland.
“I think I'm due a week off for sure,” she said about her plans after this week. “First things first though: weekend here.”
Revised perspective for Diaz
Although veteran Laura Diaz hasn’t had the best of seasons on the LPGA Tour, making just two out of six cuts on Tour this year, she’s been enjoying a fresh perspective on golf and life in 2017.
And through two rounds in Portland, she’s been playing like the Laura Diaz of old – sitting at 6-under par heading into the weekend and just four shots back of the lead, as she challenges for her third career LPGA Tour win, but first since 2002.
“I mean, I think life is so different for me now. Obviously it’s great to play well. That's fun. But I think looking at it a little different than I used to. I would say I don't do it to make a living anymore. My husband is working for Wheels Up and he's kind of taken on this job of providing for us,” said Diaz.
“It's more about getting out and enjoying myself, and I think I struggled with that the last few years. A little more relaxed I would say. I've got one of my closest, dearest friends caddying for me. I said to him, I just want to have fun. That's all I want to do. Just keep me loose, let's laugh a lot, and go see what happens.”
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