Rising Australian star Su Oh has left herself a mountain to climb at the LPGA Tour’s final qualifying school.
A day after firing a 70 on the Jones Course to be tied 18th after the first round at LPGA International in Florida, the Melburnian plummeted today with a 77 on the Hills Course to slump to T79 at three over.
Oh was supplanted as leading Australian today by Coffs Harbour’s Emma de Groot, whose second-round 72 on the Jones Course lifted her to T70 at two over.
The top 20 players after the five-round marathon earn full LPGA Tour cards for next season, with players ranked 21-45 gaining conditional status. All players who reach the four-round cut mark this week earn status on the secondary Symetra Tour.
The tournament is jointly led by Korean Julie Yang and China’s Simin Feng who are locked at nine under.
There are 16 players tied for 18th at two under, while even par overall is good enough for T43 in a field reduced to 156 today when Canadian Sue Kim withdrew.
Cressy’s Stacey Keating is still in the mix at four over after an improved 73 on the Jones Course, but Rebecca Artis and Breanna Elliott will need to shoot the lights out at eight over and 10 over respectively.
Artis, originally of Coonabarabran, mixed 10 bogeys and just three birdies on the Hills Course in a 79, while Elliott, of Yarrawonga, closed with a birdie for a much improved 74 on the Jones Course.