CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge

Blackhawk Country Club
Danville, Calif.
Second-round notes and interviews
October 15, 2010

Two rookies, Gwladys Nocera and Beatriz Recari, fired 6-under 66s Friday to share the 36-hole lead at 10-under par at the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge at Blackhawk Country Club in Danville, Calif. The duo leads by one over Amy Hung (68). Nocera, of France, is third in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race, and Recari, of Spain, is fifth.

A Veteran Rookie: Though technically a “rookie” on the LPGA, Gwladys Nocera, 35, is anything but – she played on the Ladies European Tour from 2003-2009, winning 10 times and even taking the Order of Merit in 2008 – something evident in the maturity of her post-round thoughts. “A couple of holes are pretty short and you can reach some par 5s and one or two par 4s,” she said when asked whether you need to go low to compete this week. “You have chances, so I think the key is to stay patient if you don't make those birdies, and then try to catch the opportunities when they come.”

Players Play: As for her plans for this weekend now that she’s shot herself into contention? “I'm not going to set myself some goals that are too high for me or whatever,” she said. “I'm just going to play. Whatever comes up on Sunday, I'll take it. I'm just going to give my best on every shot and we will see.”

En Fuego! Beatriz Recari started her round 1-over through eight holes but caught fire on the ninth. She birdied there then went birdie-eagle-birdie over her next three to go 5-under in a four-hole stretch. She added two more birdies on the 14th and 16th to post a tournament-best 29 on the incoming nine. “I had a very good mojo from yesterday,” she said. “I was playing very well, I was hitting it close to the pin, but the putts weren’t dropping. I just said ‘OK, I just have to be calm, and there are plenty of holes out there.’ Sometimes they just pass by the lip, and sometimes they start dropping, and that’s what happened on the back nine.”

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: It was a tale of two rounds for first-round leader Brittany Lincicome. On Thursday, she made 11 birdies to shoot a course-record 61, the lowest round on Tour this year and second-lowest in LPGA history (in relation to par). On Friday, she made five bogeys and a triple bogey to shoot a 5-over 76, 15 shots worse. She’s three back in a tie for eighth. “I just felt a little nervous for some reason,” Lincicome said. “I was very tentative. I flew the greens six times today. You can't be above these pins. The greens are hard. I didn't really know how to kind of follow up what I did yesterday. So just going to go out tomorrow, and obviously 61 is possible, and see if we can't put some of those together on the weekend.”

Change is Good: Amy Hung, who’s one back at 9-under after Friday’s 4-under 68, credits some of her success in the first two rounds this week to a new man on her bag, Danny Huber, a “very good caddie,” she said. Since she switched two events ago, she’s had two top-20 finishes after posting just three in her first 13 events this season.

The Eagle Has Landed: Surely Huber helped her get a yardage and club on the par-4 13th Thursday, where she holed out for eagle. With a crosswind and 115 yards to the hole, she punched a 9-iron that bounced once and hopped in. “That was awesome,” she said. “I hit it solid. You know, just as soon as the ball took off from the face, it's not under my control. I just try to think that way.”

Stacy’s Back: Stacy Lewis, who fired a 5-under 67 Friday to sit two back at 8-under overall, has fought through more than her fair share of adversity. Born with a severe case of scoliosis, Lewis spent seven and a half years in a back brace and even underwent major surgery in 2003 – surgeons inserted five screws and a titanium rod – to straighten out her spine. Seven years later, she has won a rain-shortened, unofficial event on the LPGA, won 12 times in college, including the 2007 NCAA Championship, become the first player in Curtis Cup history to go 5-0, and graduated head of her class in Q-School in 2008.

A Sweet Escape: Her golf game actually developed because of that back brace – the only time she got to take it off was when she played. “I had to wear it to school, to sleep in,” she said. “So it was like as soon as I got home from school I was like, ‘I'm going to practice,’ and I would rip it off and run out the door. That was my excuse to get out, so that's kind of how golf came into the picture.”

An Inspiration: Lewis is obviously a success story, and she uses her experience to inspire others. “I get letters and e mails, kids that come out to tournaments,” she said. “It's really cool that I can inspire them to get through what they're getting through. I mean, all these kids are like, You're amazing. We have the same thing as you and you made me want to go ride a horse or go out for swimming or do something. It kind of hit me when I started getting all these letters, I was like, ‘Well, I'm kind of doing all this for another reason now.’”

Girl of Steel: As for the five screws and titanium rod? They’re still there. “Actually you can have surgery to get the rod and the screws removed, but it's another six months of not being able to do anything and rehab,” she said. “It's just not worth it. It doesn't bother me or go off in airports or anything like that, so I just say leave it in.”

Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year race: While two of her classmates leading the tournament, Azahara Munoz, who has a commanding 345-point lead in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race, shot her second-straight 1-over 73 to miss the cut by one shot.

The Cut: Seventy-two players made the cut at 1-over 145.

Of note: Rolex Rankings No. 2 Cristie Kerr, who is the only member of the top five in the field this week and could take over No. 1 Monday, overcame a 73 Thursday with a 4-under 68 Friday that included two birdies and an eagle. Kerr became a Rolex First-Time Winner at this event in 2002… Paula Creamer, a native of nearby Pleasanton, shot a 3-under 69 to sit at 2-under overall… Katherine Hull, who won her second Tour event at last week’s Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV, followed a 68 yesterday with a 1-under 71 Friday to sit at 5-under total… Juli Inkster, a two-time champion here (1999 and 2000) shot a 2-under 70 that got her back to 1-over overall to make the cut on the number. Inkster, a Bay Area native and resident, was also a four-time All-American at San Jose State… Sponsor exemption and recent Big Break Sandals Resorts winner Carling Coffing followed her 2-under 70 Thursday with a 1-over 73 to finish at 1-under overall and easily make the cut in her first LPGA event… Defending champion Sophie Gustafson shot her second-straight Even-par 72… Playing in the second to last group, rookie Pernilla Lindberg finished birdie-birdie, including a 40-footer on 18, to make the cut on the number.

GWLADYS NOCERA, Rolex Rankings No. 111

Q. Great round today. Sitting at 10 under par. Last I checked you were leading. Did you think after seeing what Brittany did yesterday to get to 11, what were your thoughts today? What did you think you had to do to run her down?
GWLADYS NOCERA: Well, I mean, I'm not looking at what everybody else is doing. I just concentrate on my game. Shooting 11 under I was wondering if she played the same course as I did. But, I mean, she played great. There's nothing you can do about it. You know, I've been hitting the ball really well and I've been making putts this week. Comes together, so that's nice.

Q. How is the course out there? Are the birdies plentiful? Is it there for the taking?
GWLADYS NOCERA: Yeah, I think a couple of holes are pretty short and you can reach some par 5s and one or two par 4s. So, you know you have chances, so I think the key is to stay patient if you don't make those birdies, and then try to catch the opportunities when they come.

Q. What went well for you today?
GWLADYS NOCERA: I putted really well. I mean, I played well, but I putted really well. You know, I made a couple on like 6, 7, 8, 9 or something, and that helped me to stay concentrated and focused on my game. I'm playing good, so I mean, when you make putts it's easier.

Q. Heading into the weekend, what's your mindset?
GWLADYS NOCERA: Still the same. I'm not going to set myself some goals that are too high for me or whatever. I'm just going to play. Whatever comes up on Sunday, I'll take it. I'm just going to give my best on every shot and we will see. Of course I would have liked to do really good, but I'm not the only one on the course. I have to stay focused on my own game.

BEATRIZ RECARI, Rolex Rankings No. 172

Q. At 9 you just seemed to hit fire. You got the eagle on I think it was 11, and some nice birdies after that. What clicked for you and turned it around?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Yeah, well, I had a very good mojo from yesterday. I was playing very well. I was leaving it close to the pin just the putts weren't dropping. I just said, Okay, I just have to be calm. You know, there's plenty of holes out there and plenty of opportunities. So, yeah, just kept calm. Yeah, just sometimes you see them or they're passing by the lip. Sometimes you see it clearly and they just start dropping one after another. That's what happened on the back nine. I'm very happy with my performance today.

Q. Obviously this course appeals to you. What do you like about it?
BEATRIZ RECARI: I like the fact that you have to position the ball. You have to be very conscious of where the pin is and where you want to position it. Also from the tee, some holes you have to (recording interrupted) you know, left or right or even with the driver. So that's what I like about it. The course, the last year on European Tour that I won was very similar to this, was very strategic and positioning the ball, small greens, and similar grass. So just gives me good memories. And as I say, it just suits my game because well, I have a very good caddie, too. We're always discussing the shots.

Q. We don't know a lot about you. Talk about your time on the LPGA Tour this year.
BEATRIZ RECARI: Well, for me the step was very big. At the beginning I had a very slow start. I had two top 10s, but then I had several missed cuts. That definitely, you know, affected me, and I tried to change stuff. These weeks off with my family, we just went back to basics. I did a very good job at the gym and worked very hard on the course and out there, in the gym. Yeah, that's what brought me here. I just don't have any expectations. Just go out there and play. You know, the ball doesn't know where it is. I just have to trust myself and let it happen.

Q. What do you expect tomorrow to be like?
BEATRIZ RECARI: You know, I don't think about tomorrow now. I'm just going to enjoy it. I like to be day by day and enjoy the small victories. I think tomorrow is nothing special. (Recording interrupted) If I was top 10 I would go aggressive. So, you know, I just don't like to focus on the position and just play the shots.

Q. This is kind of a transitional time with the LPGA with Lorena gone and everyone jostling for that No. 1 ranking. What does it say when you have two rookies heading into the weekend sharing the lead?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Well, I know Gwladys from the European Tour, and she's a great player. It seems like the No. 1 spot is a kind of like switching every week. But, yeah, no, I'm very happy to be here. I worked hard to be here. You know, the course and the results are showing that, so that's all I care about. As I say, I go day by day.

AMY HUNG, Rolex Rankings No. 108

Q. Overall thoughts on the round. You're 9 under par. Pretty good spot to be.
AMY HUNG: Yeah. Yeah, I been played best I ever play. Rolling it well, swing well, and just stay patient. I had very good caddie with me right now, so I'm very confident.

Q. Is it different than usual?
AMY HUNG: Yeah. Actually we start work together like this is the third week. Yeah, so we did a lot of improve.

Q. What's his name?
AMY HUNG: Danny Huber. H u b e r.

Q. Well, starting the day, obviously Brittany put up a good number yesterday. Does that change your mindset at all? Do you feel like you have to make more birdies when she's got that number sitting there?
AMY HUNG: We layout a game plan the beginning of the week, and just kind of follow the game plan. I guess we just focus on something I can control. So I'm not worry about what other people do.

Q. How about a hole out for eagle? Does that help a little bit?
AMY HUNG: Yeah. Wow, yeah, that was an awesome experience.

Q. Oh, really? That's your first eagle of the year?
AMY HUNG: No. I make a couple eagles in beginning, and then he say, Okay one more eagle and then I just stop making it.

Q. Do you remember what you hit and from where?
AMY HUNG: Yeah. It was 13th hole in the back of on the hill, and it was 115 to the hole. I hit like a punch 9 iron. And one hop and just dive in the hole.

Q. Does a shot like that change anything for you mentally? I know you say you have a game plan. Does that do anything for you confidence wise? Do you kind of say, Okay, this a cool, special week?
AMY HUNG: Not really. I been knocking a lot of shots very close in the past couple of weeks, so I'm kind of expecting it's going to drop sooner or later. Yeah, so just happy to be in. That one hole was actually kind of tough. The wind of coming left to right. But I hit it solid. You know, just an soon as the ball took off from the face it's not under my control. So I just try to think that way.

STACY LEWIS, Rolex Rankings No. 39

Q. Talk about the shot there at the end.
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, it was the only option there. I think it was the only chance I had of getting it close, so I knew I had to try to. If it worked out, fine. If not, I took my par and went on.

Q. We both cringed thinking, If we did that, there's no way.
STACY LEWIS: I'm sure my dad's over there, What is she doing?

Q. What were you using?
STACY LEWIS: A 60 degree.

Q. How much does that sort of I mean, obviously you played well either way, but to end your round that way.
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I played well really good on the front, and then just kind of struggled a little bit on the back. Definitely to finish with a birdie gives you good momentum going into the weekend.

Q. I'm sure you've heard this many times, for us it's obviously kind of a new story here. To go through everything you've gone through and be here, how satisfying is that journey?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I mean, every day I'm just grateful to be able to play. Yeah, you want to play well and win golf tournaments. But to be out here competing week to week without any pain most of the time, I couldn't ask for anything more.

Q. Does it affect you at all? Looks like you whack the ball pretty hard.
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, not anymore. I mean, the first couple years after surgery it hurt pretty bad at the end of the day and things like that. Now I take care of it. I work out. No problems.

Q. What do you need to do? Stretching exercises?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, stretching. Just anything that keeps the muscles around where they did the surgery strong.

Q. Will the pins stay in there forever?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah. Actually you can have surgery to get the rod and the screws removed, but it's another six months of not being able to do anything and rehab. It's just not worth it. It doesn't bother me or go off in airports or anything like that, so I just say leave it in.

Q. What is it? Just a steel rod and screws?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, a rod and five screws.

Q. When was the surgery?
STACY LEWIS: June of 2003.

Q. Oh, so that long ago?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah.

Q. Was there ever serious doubt whether you would be able to play golf again?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, my doctor, he told me I would be able to, but I never really believed him all along. I guess with the way your spine works is that everything rotates together. So all the screws, when I turn, everything just turns with it. So I'm limited just bending over, which, I mean, you don't need that in a golf swing.

Q. Right. What was childhood like, to have that brace for as long as you did? Seven years, right?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, six and a half years. It was really hard. I mean, I wouldn't wish it on any kid out there. I wish there was another way you could fix it. But, I mean, it allowed me it grow and get taller. I'm not that tall anyway, so I'm glad I got to grow an extra few inches. I don't know, it was actually a good thing for me. It helped my golf game in a positive way and helped me grow up a little bit. But I wouldn't wish it on any kid out there.

Q. I was going to ask, what was it like to play golf with the brace?
STACY LEWIS: That was my way of getting out of the brace was playing golf. So that's kind of why I played.

Q. So you took it off?
STACY LEWIS: I had to wear it to school, to sleep in. So it was like as soon as I got home from school I was like, I'm going to practice, and I would rip it off and run out the door. That was my excuse to get out, so that's kind of how golf came into the picture.

Q. So what kind of brace was it?
STACY LEWIS: Hard plastic that went from like here it here. Had three straps in the back. Had Velcro straps in the back. Just strap it on and go.

Q. So it was just lower back?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, for me it was just lower. Some people it can get where they have it up around their shoulders, but mine was just in my lower back.

Q. (Question in progress.)
STACY LEWIS: No, we didn't really know about it and didn't know much about it. My mom was a nurse, so she knew kind of what it was when she heard about it. I don't think any of us expected it to last as long as it did.

Q. And how self conscious, I mean, an 11 year old girl, had to be very the social adjustment had to be...
STACY LEWIS: Well, yeah. That's all you're worried about is what you look like in clothes, what do you tell your friends. You don't want people to make fun of you. I mean, I went through all that kind of stuff. But looking back, I was like, Why was I so self conscious of it? That's just how you are at that age.

Q. You met other kids that have come along and...
STACY LEWIS: I get letters and e mails, kids that come out to tournaments. It's really cool that I can inspire them to get through what they're getting through and know that I mean, all these kids are like, You're amazing. We have the same thing as you and you made me want to go ride a horse or go out for swimming or do something. It kind of hit me when I started getting all these letters that I was like, Well, I'm kind of doing all this for another reason now.

Q. Any out here today?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, actually at the Wegman's earlier this year, I met a girl last year, and then kind of met another girl this year. Actually, they had their surgeries around the same time with the same doctor, they're about the same age, and they're actually really good friends now because I introduced them to each other and their parents talk all the time.

Q. How old are they?
STACY LEWIS: I think they were like 11 and 12. So that's just something that, I don't know, I just feel lucky to be able to do for the kids.

Q. Now, when you had the surgery, that's when your golf year career was kind of in doubt?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I had it right after I graduated from high school. I couldn't bend or twist for six months, so you couldn't even bend over to pick something up. I had to squat down. So I didn't swing a golf club for six months.

Q. Were you in another kind of brace?
STACY LEWIS: I had to wear another brace for three months. I mean, that was nothing at the time, because that whole three months I was at home I didn't feel good. But then I went to school. Like four months after I had surgery, went to college. My college coach was great. She's like, You can redshirt a year, come back and play, no problem. So I started playing in Jan of '04 again.

Q. Who was your college coach?
STACY LEWIS: Kelley Hester at University of Arkansas.

BRITTANY LINCICOME, Rolex Rankings No. 19

Q. There's obviously disappointment on your face right now. Tough to follow up an incredible round of 61. What were your thoughts going into today?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah, I knew today wasn't going to be easy. I've never been in this situation before. It's a good situation to be in and kind of try to figure it out. Obviously I know now kind of what to plan for in the future. I knew today wasn't going to be easy, but I didn't think it was going to be that hard. 31 putts. I mean, that's seven more putts than I had yesterday.

Q. Yeah, it looked to us like your pace was really off. Anything you can pinpoint as to a reason why that was?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: No, I mean, I just felt a little nervous for some reason. I was very tentative. I flew the greens six times today. I mean, you can't be above these pins. The greens are hard. Just going to go work on a few short putts. I mean, it's there. I was just really nervous today. I didn't really know how to kind of follow up what I did yesterday. So just going to go out tomorrow, and obviously 61 is possible, and see if we can't put some of those together on the weekend.

Q. Looked to me like a little bit of your ball flight was more right to left than usual. I think you can attribute that to nerves; would that be right?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Absolutely. Yesterday I was hitting it pretty straight. I mean, I knew it was going to go right on a string. And today, you're right, I was hooking it quite a bit. Even putts, I felt like I was hooking my putts. So maybe it was just a day of the right to left. Hopefully we can get to figured out for tomorrow.

Q. After 11, you were still in pretty good shape. You had made birdies on 9 and 11.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah, I mean, even off the tee I really didn't know where it was going all day. There was nothing I could kind of fall back on. Normally if I'm driving it well I'm putting it bad; or if I'm putting it bad I'm driving it well. But today it was just kind of all bad. I was drawing the ball a lot, like she said. Yesterday I was hitting it pretty straight. The right to left gets me in trouble, but it's my kind of go to, fallback. I mean, the hook is my swing. So just need to straighten it out for tomorrow and hopefully get a few more putts to drop. Like I said, I also flew six greens. I'm over the pin on most of these greens. A couple of them going for the par 5s in two, but even then, I mean, you can't be above these pins.

Q. You were pulling a lot of shots there.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. Yeah, I was. Absolutely.

Q. Did you know early that it was going to be this difficult? Did you feel out of sync?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Um, I mean, on the first hole I even felt a little off. Even that first tee shot felt a little off. But this driving range, I like to hit balls and then putt. The driving range so far a way, so by the time you go to the tee you haven't hit balls in like 30 minutes. It's kind of a long time in between hitting my last shot and going to the first tee. I really didn't think too much about it. Hit a good shot on the next hole. Lipped out on my second hole of the day. Yeah, I mean, even the tee shot on 3, that was pretty far left. And you can hit it 100 yards up on that hill and let it kick left, so...

Q. We saw your approach on 14. Did you have a bad lie there? What happened?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: What's 14?

Q. I think your tee shot was in the sand.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Oh, yeah. Yeah, I hit that awful. It was an uphill lie. I was trying to make sure I cleared the lip of the bunker, and I just forgot to hit the ball altogether.

Q. So it went in the hazard?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah.

Q. What happened next?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Hit it on the back of that green. Straight downhill putt and three putted. Just so unlike me to make a triple. I haven't made a triple in forever.

Q. The average golfer, that happens to them all the time. The natural reaction is, how could this be. How do you explain it?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah, I mean, it's the same. Just the nerves and trying to follow up what I did yesterday. I shouldn't have checked any messages on my phone. I should have just stayed in my own little world and not replied back to every single person. Obviously I'm 25. This is a good problem to have moving forward. I mean, my first playoff was this year. I talked to Val Skinner yesterday, and I'm like, Can you possibly lead after four days, lead on Thursday and then win the tournament? It's kind of rare, so it's nice to maybe be back in a position where I'm more comfortable and I can attack from here on out. Obviously I can birdie every hole out there. Did it yesterday. Just got to believe.

Q. Historically the low scores are going to come in the morning. So you figure playing in the afternoon it's going to be hard to play 61 again.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah, I definitely wasn't thinking 61. I was thinking 69, 7O. Even par was I mean, I knew today was going to be hard.

Q. Because?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Because of what I did yesterday and all the attention I got. I led the U.S. Open when I was like 16. I mean, that was like the hardest to play the next day because of all the attention that I got. Just my head. I just should have known.

Q. What did you shoot the second round?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Like 76. I barely made the cut. I made the cut by like one. I was leading after the first day and then barely made the cut. (Laughing.)

CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge -- Second-round information

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