10) Sandra Gal Defeats (2) Sung Hyun Park - 2 & 1
Sandra Gal capitalized on a missed putt by Sung Hyun Park to go 1-Up at the opening hole. Gal took a 4-Up lead through her first hole holes and never trailed in the match, despite Park mustering a comeback with back to back birdies to cut the lead to two.
“This was a really big win for me because S.H. Park she’s been playing really, really well recently, and she’s a bomber, and she hits it really far, so I knew I had to bring my A-game. I think I had a really good start out of the gate made two or three birdies, I hit it really close, holed out a bunker shot, hit it on the par 5 in two so it was nice. Then she came back with a couple of birdies, and at the end, I just hung on and made a couple more birdies and finished it off, but it was a tough day.
Gal said she will stick to her game plan as she faces Angel Yin in Friday's match because Yin is the same type of player as Park - both are long hitters.
(13) Pernilla Lindberg Defeats (5) Brittany Lang 4 & 3
It was a big win for Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg who defeated American Brittany Lang 4 & 3. The match was All Square through the first five holes until Lang made a double bogey on No. 6 to give Lindberg the advantage. With only two birdies on the day, Lindberg was able to capitalize on Lang's mistakes to take the match.
“I played very solid; I didn’t lose a hole all day. I teed off first on No. 1, and I never gave out the tee, and I was feeling really confident, especially with my irons,” said Lindberg. “I hit it nice and close all day. So, I felt, when I started a few holes like she was going to have to really do something special to beat me here, that made me feel even more calmed out there and I kind of just kept grinding away and I just kept telling myself ‘pedal to the medal’ even though I was getting more up on her, I just kept trying to keep away and keep winning more holes.”
(2) Shanshan Feng Defeats (10) Sarah Jane Smith - Wins in 24 Holes
The most exciting match of the afternoon took 24 holes for Shanshan Feng to defeat Sarah Jane Smith. They went back and forth throughout much of the match with Feng going 1-Up early in the round. But Smith bounced back to bring it to All Square with a birdie on No. 6. The two went shot for shot on the next two holes before Smith made birdies on No. 9 and No. 10 to take a 2-Up lead heading into the final stretch. Smith dropped a shot on No. 14 and Feng made birdie on No. 17 to square the match with one hole to play.
Feng eagled the 24th hole to win the match in 1-Up.
(3) Brooke Henderson Defeats (11) Ryann O’Toole - 2 & 1
Brooke Henderson advances to the Round of 16 after defeating Ryann O’Toole 2 & 1. Henderson trailed at the turn but closed strong with four birdies on the back nine.
“Ryan played great today. And she had me 2-Up going to the back nine, so I knew I had some work to do. I was able to make four birdies in a row that helped my momentum and got me back to even, and then 1-Up. And then the last birdie on No. 17 got me to 2-Up, with one to play,” said Henderson. “I played great today, and the putts just didn’t fall until the back nine, but she played great too, so it was just an awesome match."
(8) Angela Stanford Defeats (1) Inbee Park – 3 & 2
Angela Stanford is the first to advance to the Round of 16, defeating No. 1 seed Inbee Park 3&2.
Stanford, knowing she needed to play well against Park, went back and forth with her throughout much of the front nine. Park struck first going 1-Up on the No. 4 seed, but Stanford bounced back to square the match a few holes later.
“I think, when playing someone like her you just know that you can’t make mistakes, I made one on hole 4, and I remember telling my caddie ‘the only way I’m going to beat her is with birdies’ you just can’t make mistakes,” said Stanford. “She’s so good with her putter, she’s good with her wedges, if she misses a green she gets it with her putter, and you are not going to beat her with her putter, I think going in you realize that you have got to play your best.”
The two played much of the match All Square, but with three quick birdies on the back, Stanford took the lead and held on to win 3&2.
(9) Michelle Wie Defeats (16) Laura Gonzalez Escallon - 3 & 2
Michelle Wie never trailed on day two and said she was happy with her play in the match against No. 16 seed Laura Gonzalez Escallon.
“It was a fun match, a tough one, but I’m happy with the way I’m playing. You know just happy to survive,” explained Wie.
Wie struck first with a birdie on No. 2 but never felt she got her putter working.
“I kind of left my putts short all day,” said Wie. “They looked like they were going in but they just short all day and I finally made a 20-footer on No. 11, and that really felt good so that kind of projected me forward.”
(12) Marina Alex Defeats (4) Jessica Korda - 5 & 4
The upset of the day came with Marina Alex’s defeat of Jessica Korda 5 & 4. Alex never trailed in the match against Korda, going up 4-Up with birdies on No. 3, No. 4, No. 6 and No. 7, but Korda picked up a shot with Alex’s mistake on nine.
“It was a good match; I played really solid I don’t even remember how many birdies I had, maybe five or six. I made one mistake on No. 9, I had a three-putt there,” said Alex. “Yesterday, I played well. I made a couple of poor mistakes, some sloppy stuff out on the course and I knew today if I just I cleaned that up a little bit I’d be making a bunch of birdies which is good for match play.”
In prep for tomorrow’s match against good friend Michelle Wie, Alex is going to grab a bit to eat, practice and get some rest.
“I think tomorrow is scheduled for two so if I play well in the first I want to be rested up,” said Alex.
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