Change in Putting = Change in Confidence for Kaufman

Kim Kaufman is feeling confident.

Coming off her best finish of the season last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic at T-10, Kaufman is again in the hunt entering moving day at the Manulife LPGA Classic, tied for fourth and just two strokes off the lead.

“I think it definitely gives you confidence,” Kaufman said Friday. “At the same time you don't want to get lax where you're like, oh, finished top-10, because you can't do that, you can't get lax about it.”

The former Texas Tech golfer hasn’t been lax since joining the Tour last season, recording five top-25 finishes and finishing fourth in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings. But Kaufman says she’s beginning to get impatient and wants to continue building on the momentum she established last season.

“I’ve been a lot more consistent,” said Kaufman. “I made a lot more cuts, which was my goal.  I was getting a little impatient for a good finish, but last week was good.  So it's coming, I hope.  But the key, you need to start making more putts and that's what I'm doing so I feel more comfortable.”

Her comfort on the putting surface is where she’s struggled this season. After missing the cut at the ANA Inspiration, Kaufman knew it was time for a change and has since undergone a complete overhaul with long-time coach Todd Kolb to completely change her stroke.

“I would literally like line it up kind of left and I would shove it,” Kaufman said. “I had done it forever and now we've just done everything, arms closer, everything a little more solid, a little more together. My coach was like, we've got to do this, and it's been some good things and this week it actually feels good and last week it felt good so it just takes a little time.”

Kaufman must be feeling good after getting around in just 25 putts Friday en route to a second round 6-under 66. She says she feels a similarity this week at Whistle Bear Golf Club with what she experienced in Phoenix with players going low at the JTBC Founders Cup, where she finished T-13.

“It's a little bit of a birdie‑fest and normally it wouldn't be my favorite but I played well in Phoenix, I'm playing well here.  So it just comes down to putting on a course like this.”

How her new putting stroke holds up will be tested on moving day as wind conditions determine how low players continue to go in Ontario. She tees off at 12:28pm, grouped with Victoria Elizabeth and Yani Tseng, part of a group of seven players T-4 at 11-under par.