TWO ROUNDS STRONG

Brittany Lincicome tied for low round of the day with a 5-under 66, to sit at 8-under heading into the weekend at the Evian Championship. The American has played well through 36 holes here before and held the second round lead at the championship in 2014.

“I’ve been driving the ball really, really well, which has really helped,” Lincicome said. “Obviously hitting it on the fairway gives you a better chance of trying to conquer the green, so that’s really helping, so I didn’t have to hit out of the rough a bunch the last two days, which is definitely I think what my success has been.”

Lincicome needed only 26 putts today en route to her 5-under round. She credited a recent, unplanned switch in putter for her solid work on the greens.

“I got a new putter the week of Calgary when they lost my bag,” Lincicome said. “It’s an Odyssey. I think it’s like a 2-ball or a newer 2-ball or something. They lost my bag in Calgary this year, so I just grabbed a new putter and was just putting around until my golf bag came, and then I decided to change. Maybe it was for the better.”

REDEDICATION FOR STANFORD PAYS OFF

Angela Stanford came to France with a new sense of rededication to her game. The 38-year-old and 16-year Tour veteran admitted to falling into some mid-season laziness this year and needing to rededicate herself to her craft. Stanford said her frustration was at its worst a few weeks ago at the CP Canadian Women’s Open and got back to grinding during her practice sessions. She’s only recorded two top-10s this season and is hoping to finish on a high note.

“I seem to always be working on something, huh? I think the older I get, the more I’m learning that it’s the same thing,” said Stanford. “You just have to be dedicated to working on it. I think I get lazy, and I think I did get lazy, and so I’m just committed to working on kind of the same thing. The club gets behind me. Just kind of rededicated to working hard at it.”

After rounds of 65-68, Stanford finds herself in the hunt heading into the weekend and looking to claim her first career major title. Asked if she thinks her years of experience will be to her advantage, Stanford said that it may feel like an entirely new experience. The Texan’s last victory was in 2012 at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore.

“Honestly, I don’t know if I have that experience. I think my wins were so long ago, and I think it’s something that if you’re not doing it all the time, it feels new again,” said Stanford. “Having cameras around all day felt new again. For somebody that hasn’t been in that position in a while -- I don’t know, I think for me it’s going to be new again, which is fine. Maybe it needs to be, since there is so much negative. Maybe it needs to have that new feeling.”

QUOTABLES

“I did ask her, I said, are you going to come to the LPGA? She was like, um, I’m not decided, half and half. But she’s good enough for sure.” -Shanshan Feng on Sung Hyun Park

“I literally topped it. If any amateur golfer was watching, they were like, oh, we do that all the time. It probably makes them feel better, so that’s why I hit it.” -Brittany Lincicome on her bogey on the ninth hole

“I think if I’m too technical I could just ruin my feel as well. Normally I’m just pretty much checking the basic stuff, and I try not to be too technical.” -So Yeon Ryu on approach to putting

CHEERS TO THE WEEKEND

The cutline fell at 3-over par 145 with a total of 72 players making the cut. Notables to miss the cut: Morgan Pressel (+4), Juli Inkster (+4), Laura Davies (+4), Karrie Webb (+8).

News and Notes - Second Round Evian Championship

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