DUE FOR MAJOR NO. 2

Morgan Pressel has been knocking on the door for her second career major title. She had three top-five finishes so far in the first three of the 2015 season. Pressel’s first win of her career came at the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship where she became the youngest major winner in history. She can’t decipher what the difference has been this year but admits to putting her most preparation into her game leading into major weeks.

“I mean, sometimes it just comes together, and there’s no rhyme or reason,” said Pressel. “I’ve certainly tried to prepare my hardest for the majors. I had a really good session last week with my coach Ron Stockton for three days at home where I just really, really prepared hard for these two weeks. I think that was definitely helpful.”

Pressel also credited an even-keel attitude to letting some bad shots go in the heat of the moment.

“But I feel like my attitude is just a little bit different, a little bit better, and sometimes that can make all the difference,” said Pressel. “I mean, you can hit the ball well, but if you come unglued when one thing goes wrong, especially out here on this golf course, so I’ve tried to stay very positive, and when bad breaks happen just take them. I mean, there are birdies to be made out there, so if you can get over some of the rough bounces you get out here and move forward, then do okay.”

SOLHEIM CUP MATCHUP

All 24 members of the U.S. and European Solheim Cup teams are playing in the Evian Championship this week. Four players on each team missed the cut this week. Below is a list of how each performed in the first two rounds.

Team U.S.A.

Team Europe

NUMBERS TO KNOW

3 - Nicole Broch Larsen could become the third different non-member to win on the LPGA Tour in 2015, joining In Gee Chun (U.S. Women’s Open) and Brooke Henderson (Cambia Portland Classic).

4 - Number of consecutive missed cuts for Paula Creamer. Prior to this stretch, she had never missed back-to-back cuts at any point in her career.

65 - Morgan Pressel’s lowest round in a major, a score she has now posted three times in major championships. It was also the low round of the tournament thus far.

9 - Number of players within five shots of the lead heading into the weekend.

2 - Frenchwomen to make the cut: Karine Icher (-3) and Gwaldys Nocera (E).

170 - Number of starts Morgan Pressel has made since her last victory at the 2008 Kapalua LPGA Classic.

ROLEX SCENARIOS

There is a chance that Lydia Ko can overtake current World No. 1 Inbee Park atop the Rolex Rankings this week. Here is what needs to take place in order for that to happen. Ko is currently five shots off the lead in a tie for fifth and Park is eight shots back and T20.

Lydia can only take No. 1 if she wins AND Inbee finishes in in a tie for 17th or worse.
No one else has a shot at No. 1 this week.

Note: Multi-way ties can change the scenarios. For example, Inbee would retain No. 1 regardless with a three-way tie for 16th but not a tie for 17th. Please check with the LPGA communications team on Sunday for updated scenarios.

CHEERS TO THE WEEKEND

The cutline fell at 5-over par 147 with a total of 77 players making the cut. Notables to miss the cut: Brittany Lincicome (+6) Brittany Lang (+8), Paula Creamer (+10), Azahara Munoz (+11).

LARSEN ON A HOT STREAK

Nicole Broch Larsen is coming off her first career professional win, a victory at the Helsingborg Open on the Ladies European Tour last week and recorded a runner-up finish the week before in the Czech Republic. The Denmark native is making just her second major championship appearance this week and has gotten off to a good start. Larsen finished T24 last month at Turnberry in her major debut at the RICOH Women’s British Open.

“I mean, I had a good couple of months with my coach, working very well, and it seems like it’s just coming together now, and it’s like the perfect timing,” said Larsen.

Larsen, who is known for her length off the tee, averages 258 yards in driving distance on the LET and said her strength of her game suits the course here in Evian.

“Obviously it’s a good course to be a long hitter on,” said Larsen. “There’s some long holes and some holes where it’s good to have a good long carry with your driver. I feel nice on this course. I played very good on the front nine, quite solid, hit a lot of greens and hit it close, didn’t drop so many putts. But I was 2-under through 9 with a good save on 18. Then I struggled a little bit with my driver on the back nine. But yeah, just kept it together and kept fighting. It was nice.”

She trails second-round leader Mi Hyang Lee by just two shots heading into the weekend but is trying not to treat this week any differently. She said her good performance at Turnberry in her first major has helped her feel right at home this week.

“It’s definitely helping,” said Larsen. “I’m used to playing around very good people and all the people that I normally play around, so yeah, it helps me. I’m just trying to take this event like another event, not thinking about too much that it’s a major.”

QUOTABLE

“Like yesterday I was walking down the par-3 14th, and on the cup there’s this little metal stump that is on there, and it’s really small, and I didn’t look, and I stepped on it and just rolled my ankle. It’s better than it looks.”

- Lydia Ko on why she was wearing physio tape on her leg and ankle during Friday’s second round

News and Notes: Round Two Evian Championship

Related Articles