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SPORTS Saturday 22 June 2019
Hannah Green has big early lead at Women's PGA at Hazeltine

CHASKA, Minn. (AP) — defending champion Sung
Hannah Green keeps get- Hyun Park, who had a 71.
ting out of tough spots, and Nelly Korda was another
it's taken her to a place she shot behind after a 70.
has never been. Only four other players who
Green twice escaped trou- completed 36 holes were
ble with unlikely par saves, under par, a group that in-
including one shot she cluded Moriya Jutanugarn.
holed from off the green, Green thought luck was on
and made four birdies for a her side when she holed a
3-under 69 to set a daunt- short-sided bunker shot for
ing target at Hazeltine Na- birdie on the par-5 seventh
tional in the KPMG Wom- near the end of her open-
en's PGA Championship. ing round.
The 22-year-old Australian Friday was even better.
has made one bogey over She didn't notice the water
36 holes at Hazeltine, one right of the 12th green dur-
of the strongest tests of ing practice rounds. She
the year on the LPGA Tour. took a penalty drop, and
She had a four-shot lead with the pin on a shelf in the
among those who played back left of the green, her
early Friday. If it stands, it biggest concern was get-
would be her first 36-hole ting it close without the risk Hannah Green, of Australia, watches her putt on the 18th green during the second round of the
lead on the LPGA Tour. of a big number. KPMG Women's PGA Championship golf tournament, Friday, June 21, 2019, in Chaska, Minn.
"Even when you play this "If I landed it too far there Associated Press
type of golf at just a regu- was a possibility of it going
lar event, you're pretty over the back. I didn't want "I just laughed because She got that up-and-down en's Open at Lancaster.
proud of yourself, but this to leave myself with an- with the hole-out on 7 yes- for par and was on her way. The 44-year-old Webb is
week especially," Green other chip to then possibly terday and with the hole- Green is in her second full Australia's most prolific
said. "I've never put myself make bogey or double at out today, it's really going year on the LPGA Tour, champion with seven ma-
in this position in any event, worse," Green said. "I had to my way." having won three times on jors as part of her 41 titles
so to be doing it this week land it perfectly and I guess After a missed chance at the Symetra Tour in 2017 on the LPGA Tour. Webb,
at such a great venue defi- I did. I knew it was going to birdie on the par-5 15th, to earn her card. She had the only player to win five
nitely shows things are go- be close but I didn't think Green was in trouble again such a successful amateur different LPGA Tour majors,
ing the right way. I've had it had the chance of go- on the 16th hole, the signa- career in Australia that she first came to America un-
some luck going my way. I ing in. I really wasn't really ture hole at Hazeltine. Her was awarded the Karrie der a similar program start-
do hope that continues." watching it going into the shot took a surprising kick Webb Scholarship in 2015, ed by Greg Norman, and
Green was at 7-under 137 hole. I just heard the crowd to the right, leaving the ball and one of the perks was now has one in place for
and led by four shots over roar. between clumps of grass. coming to the U.S. Wom- female amateurs.q

TRAVELERS thing, because I was on the said.
Continued from Page 17 outside looking in," he said. Patrick Cantlay lipped out
"It's nice," he said. "First year Defending champion Bub- a 2-foot putt on 15, but
I can remember in a long ba Watson was 5 under. made a 43-footer on the
time where I'm pain free He switched putters after 17th to just make the cut at
and it's feeling really good." a first-round 69 and had a 2 under.
Chez Reavie and Keegan 66, with bogeys on his final Two-time champion Phil
Bradley were two shots two holes. He had six bird- Mickelson was among the
back. Reavie, coming off ies, including four in a row big names left on the out-
a third-place tie last week to start the back nine, roll- side of the ropes this week-
in the U.S. Open, shot a 64. ing in putts from 28 feet on end. Mickelson, playing
Bradley had a 66, making the 11th and 38 feet on the in Connecticut for the first
an eagle in the rain from 12th. time since 2003 and looking
about 80 yards on the par- "Knowing that we can for the 45th win of his ca-
4 15th. make birdies in a hurry reer, shot a 67 on Thursday,
"I was talking to my cad- around here, you know but had a 76 in the second
die about how wet it was that you have a shot," he round.
and it was going to skid," said. "Tomorrow, the wind He hit his first tee shot onto
he said. "We landed a little is expected to pick up in the cart path and out of Phil Michelson, left, and Jordan Spieth watch Speith's drive from
the 10th tee during the second round of the Travelers golf tour-
short of where we normally the afternoon, so come bounds to the right and nament in Cromwell, Conn., Friday, June 21, 2019
would and it went right in up and do the same thing, then missed an 18-foot bo- Associated Press
the hole." shoot another 5 under. Al- gey putt. He hit his second
Jason Day made some ways, 15 under is going to shot on the 17th hole into at the U.S. Open and this and also missed the cut.
adjustments to his put- be around the lead." the water and ended up week was going to be a lot "I just didn't play well," Spi-
ting game after an even- Brooks Koepka said exhaus- shooting a 41 on his front better. Some of the shots eth said. "No parts of my
par first round. He made tion after his runner-up finish nine. I hit and the way I struck it game are really where I
four straight birdies after at Pebble Beach played a "It was a little bit of a sur- yesterday, I thought I was want them to be. I'll get
opening with a par, shot role in his 71 on Thursday. prise," Mickelson said. "I going to have a really good some time off here, I'm not
a bogey-free 63 and was He shot a 66 on Friday to have not played great the day and get myself into sure how much and kind of
among seven players at 7 get to 3 under. last three months but I re- contention, so that front get away from the game
under. "I feel good and I feel like ally keyed in on something nine kind of threw me for a little bit and get a reset
"Birdieing four early in my I had way more energy to- about 10 days ago that I a loop." Jordan Spieth, the and try to finish the year
round kind of settled every- day which was nice," he thought my performance 2017 winner, shot 73 and 69 strong."q