Red-Hot Park Three Clear in Taiwan


No. 1-ranked Inbee Park followed up her opening 8-under 64 with a 10-under 62 to take a three-stroke lead through 36 holes of the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship. The $2 million event started Thursday at Miramar Country Club in Taipei.

Park began the second round tied for the lead with China's Shanshan Feng, but the 26-year-old Korean separated herself from the field with nine birdies, an eagle on the par-4 eighth, and a lone bogey for a two-round total of 18-under 126, three ahead of Feng (65). Her total through two rounds matches the lowest 36-hole score in relation to par in LPGA history.

Park is also eight in front of Korean Mirim Lee - who also shot 62, New Zealand's Lydia Ko (65), Spain's Azahara Munoz (65) and Denmark's Line Vedel (68).

Park went 6-under through her first eight holes. The lone bogey of the day on the par-4 fourth (her 13th) was a temporary setback as she then carded two straight birdies and a par, making the turn in 6-under 30. On her eagle she holed out from the fairway.

Park, a two-time winner this year and a five-time major champion, had visions of a magical 59 after carding four more birdies through 15. "Definitely thought it was possible going into 13, 14, because coming down the stretch, I thought it was a lot of birdie holes," she told reporters.

"Especially the last, it's a par-5. Yeah, I definitely had that in my mind. I had a score this year, 61, which was my best round and I really wanted to beat that one. But yeah, just came one short."

Despite not getting into the history books she's very pleased with her play so far and the scoring chances at the course. "Everything was working really good out there today. I probably didn't hit as close as yesterday but I holed a lot of putts today, and this season, I've been struggling with my putter.

"This week has been totally different to what I've been putting this season. I'm doing really well on the greens this week and obviously two days without the wind here in Taiwan is really unusual and I thought I should take advantage of that for two days and I feel like I did that."

Stacy Lewis, who lost her No. 1 ranking to Park on Monday, shot a 68 and is in seventh place, nine strokes behind Park. Two-time defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway followed up her opening 70 with a 67 and heads into the weekend in the no-cut tournament tied for 14th at 137.

After starting with a 67, American Brittany Lincicome withdrew for unspecified reasons.

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