Friday, October 11, 2013

Still IIhee..

SOUTH Korean Lee Ilhee maintained her charge in the Sime Darby LPGA Malayaia when she posted a six-under 65 second round for a 13-under 129 lead at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and country club yesterday.
   And the fans are wondering is Korea is going to produce the fourth winner at the KLGCC after Kang Jimin 9-under 204 (2010), Choi Na Yeon 15-under 269 (2011) and Park Inbee also 15-under 269, lifted three consecutive titles at the KLGCC.
   IIhee, who has a seven under first round, is already 13-under and looks like she is in love with the course.
   She again sank seven birdies on the first, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, 11th and 13th and her only blemish was on the 16th.
   "As I said after the first round, my target in this tournament is to shoot three-under in every round. On Thursday I did seven, and today (yesterday) six-under but it still does not change my taget of  three-under for the remaining rounds. We will see how it goes," was IIhee's modest reply of her leading the stellar pack.
   Not one to say much, IIhee loves uh-huh, yeah and fine for answers to most questions, but did say that her putter was the one that has been saving birdies for her.
   "Yeah, he grain is very difficult here on the  greens, so reading the greens are very difficult. But yeah, putting was good and the iron shots were also good for me."
   And on her lone bogey on the 16th: "I pulled a driver, so I chipped out. It was OK, but I pushed the third shot," said IIhee.
   Also alone on the second spot and just one stroke adrift is Lexi Thompson of the United States, who had a marvellous eight-under 63, for a 12-under 130 total.
   However, her 63 was shattered by Amy Young of South Korea, who played a par-71 first round, but went nine-under 62 yesterday for a 134 total to be tied sixth.
   Shanshan Fang of China is also alone on third, after she made six-under 65 for a 10-under 132 total. The Chinese stole the thunder when she watched a monitor lizzard (on television at the press room) crawling around the KLGCC greens.
   "Oh! my god is that an alligator?" and when someone corrected her, she was at her best again.
   "Oh, but do they like go up and charge and grab at people?"
    Another explanation was made, and the China star was again at home with the course.
   "Well it turned out to be kind of an interesting day, because I was again paired with IK (Kim, of South Korea), and when I saw her caddy Johnny this morning (yesterday) I told him lets meet at 10-under so we can play together again and now we do have a chance to play together for the third time in a row in the third round," said Shanshan.
    IK Kim is tied fourth on 9-under 133.
    However, it was not a great day for World No 1 and defending champion Park Inbee of South Korea who ended tied 39th after managing only a par-71 for a one-under 141 total.
   It was also a bad day at office for World No 2 Suzann Pettersen of Sweden, who returned a three-under 68 for a seven-under 135 which left her adrift at tied-eighth.