Park Back Where She is Always Is...In Contention

Rarely a tournament goes by when Inbee Park, the 2013 champ here at the North Texas Shootout Presented by JTBC, isn’t in contention at some point. That happened when Park posted her worst finish of the season – a tie for 18th – last week at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. But after a second-round, bogey-free 5-under 66, she’s right back where LPGA fans expect her to be in the thick of contention, one shot back of Henderson.

“I think a couple birdies on the last two holes will definitely help going into the weekend,” Park said, “and I know how this golf course plays because I won here a couple years ago, so yeah, I mean, I’m still going to need to shoot a couple good rounds, but yeah, I feel like I’m in good shape.”

Thus far this week, Park’s needed only 53 putts for two rounds, and that’s the biggest difference between this week and last.

“I feel like I’m getting a lot of looks at birdie, as well, and a lot of the putts last week, I just knew straightaway I was missing,” Park said. “But this week I’m hitting a lot of good putts, even if it’s not going in. I’m just really close. Yeah, I feel like my stroke is much better.”

Inkster Vies for 32nd Title

Candid honesty is expected with Juli Inkster but it was still nonetheless surprising to hear the 31-time LPGA winner say that she wasn’t looking forward to winning after Thursday’s first round when she surged into a share of the lead with 5-under 66 before Henderson stole it back in the afternoon wave. Inkster’s candidness didn’t come without merit, though. At 54, she would be eight years older than the record of 46 if she were to win, and she’d posted impressive first rounds at the ANA Inspiration and Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in back-to-back starts before falling down the leaderboard in the second round.

That didn’t happen Friday. Instead, Inkster continued to surge, putting together a 3-under-par 68 to move to 7-under for the tournament – one shot back of Brooke Henderson’s lead. As a result, Inkster wanted to clarify her choice of words after Thursday’s round when asked Friday.

“I never said I’m not planning on it, I’m just not counting my chickens before they hatch,” she said. “I mean, I’ve got a lot of golf left and there’s a lot of great players out there, and everybody is kind of bunched up. You know, they wanted a shootout, that’s probably what they’re going to get.”

Nevertheless, Inkster exited the scorer’s tent pleased that she’d stiff armed her second-round issues and didn’t allow them to creep in for a third straight week.

“I three-putted the first hole and had a really – didn’t hit a very good iron in there and had a really long putt and it lipped out,” Inkster said. “But you know what, I knew I was hitting the ball good and I knew I was hitting the ball good and I knew I was going to have a lot of opportunities, so I stayed patient and got a few birdies going, and then my round kind of turned around.”

Inkster’s got a new coach she’s been working with recently, Jeff Brehaut, and says she’s found more distance. The gist of their work has centered on ensuring she stays a bit more behind the golf ball, and the tweaks have “helped out a lot.”

It shows, and Inkster’s game continues to remain timeless. Natalie Gulbis laughed, saying that Inkster’s success might make a few girls hold off on pulling the trigger on retirement in the coming years, and the uniqueness of a 54-year-old competing, beating and even leading against the world’s best hasn’t been lost on Inkster.

“Well, you don’t see it any other sports, so it’s cool,” Inkster said. “I think that’s what intrigues everybody about golf, no matter if you take it up at 40 or take it up at 10, it’s just an addicting sport.”

Lee Propelled by Hole-in-One - and New Car

Approaching her second to last hole of the day during the first round Thursday, Mi Hyang Lee hit a high arching sixth iron that kicked slightly left towards the hole and scooted right towards the hole. It took a plunge below the surface a couple feet later, earned her a brand new Kia K900, and earned her some key momentum heading into the second round.

Ultimately, it might be that momentum that proves just as lucrative as the car as Lee fired a bogey-free 5-under 66 Friday to vault into contention.

Lee secured her first career win a little more than six months ago with a win in a three-way, five-hole playoff. And although it’s been an up-and-down season to start 2015 with two top-10s in nine starts, Lee is feeling the confidence of last year’s win.

“After Mizuno I have a lot of confidence, so that’s changed my golf,” she said. “I didn’t change anything but just my mind is a little bit changed, so I more think positive and then more confident.”

She’ll be paired with _ in Saturday’s third round, while her favorite player – Juli Inkster - is in the group behind.

“Oh, she’s my favorite player because I want to be playing a long time like her,” Lee said. “Then actually her daughter is older than me, so like she’s amazing, and a great player.”

Stress-Free Lexi

2014 ANA Champion and Rolex Rankings No. 11, Lexi Thompson, kept up her steady play Friday with a 2-under round to head to the clubhouse 6-under-par for the tournament.

Thompson’s round did not have a thrilling start, hitting pars on her first five holes. After the turn, Thompson looked like she might take a wrong turn with a bogey on ten, but followed it up with two birdies on the back nine.

“I’m just focusing on staying positive,” Thompson said. “Even if I hit a bad shot, just going to the next one very positive. I’m working with John Denney down in South Florida, and he’s just been focusing on my routine and breathing.”

Keeping a positive mindset has shown it’s benefits in Thompson’s game this week as she sets herself up to contention heading into the weekend at the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout.

“It’s a lot less stress during the whole day,” Thompson said. “And I mean, if you go into a shot more positive and just saying you’re going to pull this shot off, it’s amazing how much it works.”

Texas Tidbits

University of Texas alum and breast-cancer survivor, Lisa Ferrero, made the initial cut Friday after shooting 2-under to finish the day 1-over-par for the tournament. This is the third cut she has made since returning to competition this year on Tour.

Texas A&M University’s, Marijosse Navarro, was able to work some magic during her second-round and finish just on the cutline at 1-over-par.

“It would be awesome,” Navarro said. “It would be like, I don’t know, qualifying for another tournament (to make the cut), just trying to do my best and keep it up.”

Numbers to Know

2 - Number of daughters Juli Inkster has older than Brooke Henderson.

7 - Number of wins by a player under the age of 18 - six by Lydia Ko and one by Lexi Thompson - in LPGA history.

8 - The number of years by which Juli Inkster would break the record for oldest to win if she emerged victorious on Sunday.

51 - Lydia Ko has now made 51 consecutive cuts on the LPGA Tour

71 - Number of players making the cut at +1

2000 - The last time a Monday qualifier won on the LPGA Tour

2001 - The last time a Canadian won on the LPGA Tour

Quick Links

2015 North Texas Shootout 2nd Round Notes and Interviews

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