July 08, 2017: Australia’s Katherine Kirk leads the field at -13 at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic after the morning wave of players with an impressive round of 63 (-8). Aditi Ashok, two under overnight, played a spectacular first nine to soar up the leaderboard into T24.
Aditi began her round on the 10th hole, catching fire soon after. She got on a hot streak at the 12th hole, making five birdies through the next six holes. Aditi made the turn in 31 strokes, but inclement weather brought play to an end just after the Indian made par at the third hole.
Kirk’s best finish on the LPGA Tour this season came at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G where she finished 10th, but the veteran with 13 years LPGA experience will be looking to use that to her advantage and pick up her third career LPGA title.
Three birdies and a bogey on the front nine turned out to be just a foothold for an even more impressive back nine.
Kirk picked up a further five birdies and an eagle to get around the second nine in just 29 strokes and finish 36 holes at -13, three shots ahead of her current nearest competitors.
Kirk said: “I think it might be my best (round) on the LPGA. I know I’ve had eight but I don’t know if I’ve had nine, so yeah, really happy with it.
“I felt like I was striking it well yesterday, I just didn’t really capitalize. My philosophy was just keep giving myself chances even if I’m 10 over par and still try and make birdies coming in.
“You know things are going right when you’re hitting a little 4 hybrid in to four feet.
“The greens for us are softer than usual, so we’re able to basically throw darts at it. It is sometimes definitely a putting competition when the greens are this soft.”
Jaye Marie Green tops the American’s fighting to become the first name on the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic trophy.
Green’s birdie on the last, combined with five more birdies on the back nine was enough to propel the American into solo second position.
Green said: “Well, I shot even par on my front nine. I couldn’t really get a lot going, and then kind of everything was going pretty well on the back.
“I was hitting fairways, hit it close, and then when I did, I made the putt. I shot six under on the back, which was cool.”
Ashleigh Buhai is one of the duo tied for third place at -9, after her six under par 66.
The South African is yet to have a top-10 on the LPGA Tour, but eight birdies in her round today is looking to change that stat.
Buhai said: “I hit a lot of good shots, and the greens were very pure this morning, so I felt I read the greens pretty good and picked the line and managed to roll a few in.
“I’m feeling good. I feel I can trust my game at the moment, but the girls that shot low yesterday morning still got to go out, and the scores have been good.”
Ilhee Lee sits alongside Buhai in third place at -9, after a four under par 68. Lee made five birdies and a bogey in her round to finish four shots back of Kirk.
Lee said: “I have confidence this week.
“I’ve been putting great this week and hitting close to the hole, so yeah, there’s a lot of opportunities to make birdies here.”
Josh Carr report for LPGA
