Thompson Goes Low; Tied for Lead with Pak in Kraft Nabisco Championship


Lexi Thompson fired an 8-under 64 to take a share of the lead in the Kraft Nabisco Championship with South Korea's Se Ri Pak. The LPGA Tour's first major of the year began Thursday on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The 19-year-old Thompson, a three-time LPGA winner, posted five birdies on the front nine and three more on the back, with no bogeys on her card.

After starting with a 73, Thompson stands at 7-under 137, the same number as Pak, who has recorded rounds of 67 and 70.

Thompson says she has an affinity for the course. "I feel really comfortable on this golf course," she told reporters. "I always say this is my favorite tournament of the year, just coming here it's so beautiful, like really nice weather, and the fans are amazing.

"I really enjoyed this week out of the year probably the most out of them all. But yeah, I'm really comfortable with the golf course. I get to hit a lot of drivers, so I just aim up the right side and hit my little draw. I really enjoy it out here."

The 36-year-old Pak, a 25-time LPGA winner and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, had two birdies in the second round. The five-time major winner has yet to win the Kraft Nabisco and is hoping to change that this week.

"This is the one I'm always looking forward to and have always been - as I said, just one of those dreams to make my own," said Pak, who with her myriad successes is primarily responsible for the South Korean surge in women's professional golf.

"This week is a most important time for me, but as I said, just trying to take it a little back and trying to think about just the week of the tournament and own my own best, and hopefully on Sunday giving a great big smile to myself."

Michelle Wie carded her second straight under-par round, following up her opening 67 with a 71 to head into the weekend a stroke behind Thompson and Pak in solo third. After a birdie on the par-5 second, the 24-year-old Wie could only tack on one more birdie - against a bogey - the rest of the way.

"t felt good to start off with a birdie," she told reporters. "Just after that really just couldn't get anything going. But I held on in the middle and the front nine, and the back nine was just a whole lot of pars. But it felt good. Par is a good score out here. Just couldn't get anything going today, but at the same time I'm happy with the 71 today. Hopefully I can get things going again this weekend."

First-round leader Shanshan Feng of China had an up-and-down outing, carding three birdies and four bogeys for a 73 to drop into a share of fourth with Cristie Kerr (70) at 5-under 139.

Tied for sixth at 4-under are Scotland's Catriona Matthew (68), Sweden's Anna Nordqvist (69) and American Morgan Pressel (70), while another stroke back are Mo Martin (68) and South Korea's Amy Yang (73).

Defending champion and top-ranked Inbee Park shot a 70 and is at even-par 144 heading into the weekend. No. 3 Stacy Lewis is at 1-under 143 after a 73 and 70. No. 2 Suzann Pettersen of Norway was forced to withdraw before the start of the tournament because of an aggravated disk in her back.

After firing a 68 Thursday, 15-year-old amateur, Angel Yin, struggled in the second round. The Los Angeles teen had five bogeys and a double on the par-4 15th hole for a 79. Despite her woes, Yin made the cut and will play this weekend.

The cut was set at 5-over 149. Among those heading home is former No. 1 Yani Tseng, who carded rounds of 75 and 76, and three-time Kraft Nabisco champion Amy Alcott, who posted two straight 81s.

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.