S.Y. Kim Moves to Front at Women's PGA Championship; Ko Misses Cut


Sei Young Kim followed up her opening 3-under 70 with a 68 to forge a one-stroke edge through 36 holes of the KMPG Women's PGA Championship. The event, the former Wegmans LPGA Championship, is taking place at Westchester Country Club in New York.

On Friday the 22-year-old Kim carded three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 15th hole to reach 8-under 138, a stroke ahead of fellow South Korean and defending champion Inbee Park (68) and Australia's Karrie Webb (71).

Kim has already won twice this year. In April got her second career title when, after finding a water hazard with her tee shot, dramatically holed out from 154 yards for an eagle on the first playoff hole to beat Park in the Lotte Championship.

Webb, a 40-year-old with 41 career victories, including this tournament in 2001, said she had to calm herself down during the second round. "I was a little antsy," admitted the World Golf Hall of Fame member. "I didn't sleep great last night. I don't know if it's been awhile since I've played with that much adrenaline. I just still had it in my body when I was trying to go to sleep with the quick turnaround.

"But yeah, I mean, I probably didn't get off to as smooth a start as I have been the day before but I really made some good pars early on and I made a great birdie on 8," added Webb, who posted three birdies and a bogey.

Just two strokes back are last week's winner, Suzann Pettersen, and Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson. Coming off the victory at the Manulife LPGA Classic, Pettersen, a 34-year-old Norwegian, rebounded from an opening 74 with the best round of the day, a 7-under 66 on the par-73 layout.

Henderson went the other direction, recording a 73 Friday after a 67 Thursday. "I didn't have my 'A Game' today," said Henderson, a 17-year-old from Ontario. "I hit a lot of shots just really close to being really good but would just roll off the back because the greens were a little bit firmer and a little bit faster.

"I had to pay attention to where I was leaving the ball, like yesterday but especially today, too, just to make sure that when I hit good shots, I was rewarded for them and not having to save for par. And I think today, I was up-and-down a lot. I had a lot of bogeys on the card and I had a lot of birdies, too. Just one of those days you have to learn from and move on."

Tied for sixth at 151 are No. 3-ranked Stacy Lewis (71) and South Korea's Jenny Shin. Shin began the day alone in the lead but had a 75 Friday.

Lewis said later that she thought the course was set up more difficult than in the first round. "I think the officials didn't quite like the 7-under they saw yesterday, so the golf course was set up a lot tougher and it played more like I thought it would play this week," said the 30-year-old. "I think we all got out there yesterday and saw some of the hole locations and you could fire away. So it was just play harder today and it played more like a major, which I like."

Shin noted she just couldn't get untracked in the second round. "I was mentally struggling," she said. "Being up in the lead, leaderboard, it's been a while, especially being first place after the first day. You always have that thought in your head, like, can I do this, can I keep the lead. But I guess they didn't like my 7-under par yesterday. The pins are so much tougher today. I tried my best to shoot under par but I didn't get to do that."

Tied for eighth heading at 142 are Americans Gerina Piller, Cristie Kerr and Lex Thompson, Sweden's Caroline Hedwall, Taiwan's Candie Kung and England's Charley Hull.

The 36-hole cut was set at 1-over 147. No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko posted rounds of 72 and 76 to miss out on the weekend by a stroke. Reigning U.S. Women's Open champion Michelle Wie birdied the last hole to make the cut right on the number.

For all the scores, visit http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard.