(3 February 2012 – Gold Coast, Australia)
rn
rn
Reigning US Open Champion, So Yeon Ryu set two records at the Gold Coast RACV Ladies Masters today but unfortunately neither feat will be given official status. Due to the soaking the course has received over the past week, players have been able to take preferred lies, and altered playing conditions mean the records won’t stand.
rn
Ryu’s first record was equalling Karrie Webb’s round of 11-under par 61 and her second was posting the lowest 36 hole score of 17-under par 127 on the Ladies European Tour (LET). The Gold Coast RACV Masters is co-sanctioned with the LET.Not that Ryu was too upset at missing out on the record books. She will most likely be busy tonight remarking her golf balls. At present she marks it with “62” to represent her career low round, but now she will be changing it to “61.”
rn
”I really wanted to change the number, finally I can change the number,” she said.
rn
“The last shot I was really, really nervous, but I made it, so I’m really, really happy, and now I’m really looking forward to the last two rounds.”
rn
Lack of official recognition aside, it was a remarkable score by the 21-year-old who could have shot one shot less had she not bogeyed her second hole of the day.
rn
Still it was enough to give her a sizeable four shot lead over Dutchwoman Christel Boeljon who is on 13-under par 131, heading into the weekend. Boeljon finds herself in outright second courtesy of a blistering birdie, birdie, eagle finish. The 24-year-old sunk a 15-metre eagle putt on the 430m par 5 18th to end her round in style. “It’s a great feeling, great way to end my round, so you know, what do you do? You take it every day,” she said.
rn
After four attempts, Boeljon has finally made the cut at Royal Pines and said experience on the greens was the key. “In the previous years, I’ve always had a little bit of trouble on the greens, always had too much break and it showed,” she said. “Now it’s just what it is, I don’t want to read too much into the putts.”
rn
Australia’s Nikki Campbell had another strong round, again firing a 5-under 67 to share third place with Ryu’s compatriot Bo-Mee Lee on 10-under par 134. The duo is one shot ahead of Italian Diana Luna, American Amelia Lewis and England’s Felicity Johnson who are on 9-under par 135.
rn
Queenslander Bree Arthur is the next best placed Australian in outright 8th position on 8-under par 136. The teenage duo of 16-year-old Lexi Thompson and exciting amateur, 14-year-old Lydia Ko, continued to wow the crowds today. Ko recorded a three under 69 but was again left to rue two bogeys in her round. Yesterday she carded three but today she at least took the honours over playing partner Thompson.
rn
Ko’s 69 has her in a tie for 18th with a host of players including Australian Stephanie Na at 5-under par 139. Thompson’s two under 70 today sees her in a share of 9th place on 7-under par 137.
rn
2009 Ladies Masters champion Katherine Hull will be missing from the weekend after finishing on even par with Perth’s Kristie Smith. The pair finished one shot below the cut line. England’s Melissa Reid is another big name to miss the next two days, while Laura Davies and 2011 Kraft Nabisco Champion Stacy Lewis just scraped in on 1-under.
rn