Japan’s Miki Saiki set the target early on day two at the Evian Masters

Japan’s Miki Saiki heads into the weekend with a one shot lead at the Evian Masters, presented by Société Générale.

The 26-year-old from Hiroshima shot a five under par 67 to set the target at nine under par on a glorious second day at Evian Masters Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France.

The world number 22 heads joint overnight leaders Maria Hjorth (69) and Shin-Ae Ahn (69), Stacy Lewis (67), the 2009 winner Ai Miyazato (68) and Angela Stanford, who shot 66 for the joint lowest second-round score.

Overnight co-leader Karen Stupples kept herself in the hunt for a first Evian title with a 70 to end the day at seven under alongside Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr.

The 2010 champion Jiyai Shin had five birdies and two bogeys for a 69 to share 10th spot with Korean compatriot Ran Hong.

Saiki was one of the early starters and had a sensational front nine containing five birdies. She reached 10 under par with a birdie at the 11th but immediately dropped a shot at the 12th.

“Yesterday I was hitting the ball really well, and it kind of continued on to today. I was able to hit well and also putt well earlier in the round,” Saiki told journalists, through a translator. 

“I kind of struggled in the end, but all in all, it was a good day. Yesterday obviously was a day of a lot rain and you didn’t know what you were going to get. Today you had no wind.  The greens were consistent with the rolling.”

Saiki is currently ranked second on the 2011 LPGA of Japan money list after one victory at the Fudokin Ladies and three runner-up spots.

Karen Stupples ended two behind the leader

European fans may recognise her from the 2007 Ricoh Women’s British Open at St. Andrews where she finished seventh. She tied for 53rd at the 2010 Evian Masters and hopes to become the third Japanese winner of the event following Hiromi Kobayashi (1997) and Ai Miyazato (2009).

Having finished second in 1998 and 2001 and joint runner-up in 2002, Hjorth would love to become the fourth Swedish winner of the Evian Masters, following on from the success of Helen Alfredsson (’94, ’98 and ’08), Catrin Nilsmark (’99) and Annika Sorenstam (2000 and 2002).

Four birdies and one bogey placed her just one shot behind the leader and she said:  “I’m definitely satisfied. I didn’t hit it as close as yesterday and my putts were not as aggressive, so I left a few putts short, but I’m playing solid so I’m very happy with my round. I need to be a little more aggressive with my putts. Because they are so fast it’s easy to be a little bit too defensive with them.”

Stupples is currently two strokes off the pace after mixing five birdies with three bogeys and she said: “It was a rollercoaster: some good, some bad, but I think for the second round I’m in a good spot.

“After yesterday’s round, I put a lot of energy into playing as well as I did yesterday in that horrible weather. Today was just try and consolidate a little. To try to get anything under par was my real goal for the day and with two under I managed to do that. I’m obviously a couple of shots back so I’ve got to keep pressing forward and shoot as many birdies as I can.”

Henderson Rookie Caroline Hedwall

Henderson Rookie Caroline Hedwall of Sweden, making her tournament debut, shot a 66 to end five under alongside Catriona Matthew among others.  

Hedwall, with two Ladies European Tour victories this season, said: “I got a good start and could have been seven under after seven holes because I had birdie putts on every hole. I played really well and it feels good. Hopefully I can continue to play as well as I did today.”

Suzann Pettersen and Virginie Lagoutte-Clement were in a group five shots off the pace at four under par, with Sophie Gustafson a stroke further back.

Melissa Reid kept herself in the running with a 70 to end two under alongside world number one Yani Tseng among others.

Anne-Lise Caudal finished in a group at one under while Christina Kim, Sandra Gal, Gwladys Nocera, Iben Tinning, Trish Johnson and Anna Nordqvist were the other European Tour members who will play the weekend after surviving the halfway cut.

 

 

 

 

Evian Masters, presented by Société Générale

Evian Masters Golf Club

21-24 July 2011

Scores at the end of round 2:

135 – Miki Saiki (JPN) 68 67

136 – Stacy Lewis (USA) 69 67, Angela Stanford (USA) 70 66, Ai Miyazato (JPN) 68 68, Maria Hjorth (SWE) 67 69, Shin Ae Ahn (KOR) 67 69

137 – Paula Creamer (USA) 70 67, Karen Stupples (ENG) 67 70, Cristie Kerr (USA) 68 69

138 – Ran Hong (KOR) 69 69, Jiyai Shin (KOR) 69 69

139 – In-Bee Park (KOR) 69 70, Stacy Prammanasudh (USA) 71 68, Catriona Matthew (SCO) 71 68, Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 73 66, Mika Miyazato (JPN) 71 68, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 68 71

140 – Se Ri Pak (KOR) 71 69, Morgan Pressel (USA) 71 69, Amy Yang (KOR) 73 67, Shanshan Feng (CHN) 68 72, Ayako Uehara (JPN) 70 70, Na Yeon Choi (KOR) 72 68, Suzann Pettersen (NOR) 73 67, Pat Hurst (USA) 70 70, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (FRA) 69 71, Yuri Fudoh (JPN) 71 69

141 – Shiho Oyama (JPN) 71 70, Cindy LaCrosse (USA) 72 69, Rikako Morita (JPN) 71 70, Sun Young Yoo (KOR) 73 68, Heather Bowie Young (USA) 72 69, Ryann O’Toole (USA) 71 70, So-Yeon Ryu (KOR) 72 69, Akane Iijima (JPN) 72 69, Sophie Gustafson (SWE) 71 70, Jimin Kang (KOR) 72 69

142 – Hyun-Ji Kim (KOR) 72 70, Azahara Munoz Guijarro (ESP) 72 70, Eun Hee Ji (KOR) 69 73, Yani Tseng (TPE) 69 73, In Kyung Kim (KOR) 74 68, Song-Hee Kim (KOR) 71 71, Melissa Reid (ENG) 72 70

143 – Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 72 71, Ji-Na Lim (KOR) 73 70, Hee Young Park (KOR) 71 72, Natalie Gulbis (USA) 70 73, Alexis Thompson (USA) 70 73, Ji-Woo Lee (KOR) 70 73, Candie Kung (TAI) 74 69, Karrie Webb (AUS) 71 72, Paige Mackenzie (USA) 71 72

144 – Seul-A Yoon (KOR) 75 69, Christina Kim (USA) 75 69, Sandra Gal (GER) 70 74, Wendy Ward (USA) 74 70, Lindsey Wright (AUS) 73 71, Haru Nomura (JPN) 75 69, Meena Lee (KOR) 71 73, Julieta Granada (PAR) 72 72, Chella Choi (SKO) 73 71, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 76 68

145 – Brittany Lang (USA) 75 70, Iben Tinning (DEN) 72 73, Hye-Youn Kim (KOR) 72 73, Trish Johnson (ENG) 75 70, Ritsuka Ryu (JPN) 68 77, Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 77 68, Mayu Hattori (JPN) 72 73

Missed the cut:-

146 – Sun Ju Ahn (KOR) 76 70, Kumiko Kaneda (JAP) 75 71, Kristy McPherson (USA) 76 70

147 – Jennifer Song (USA) 75 72, Mariajo Uribe (COL) 72 75, Laura Davies (ENG) 76 71, Juli Inkster (USA) 75 72, Hiromi Mogi (JPN) 75 72, Seon Hwa Lee (KOR) 71 76, Christel Boeljon (NL) 73 74, Ashleigh Simon (SA) 75 72

148 – Yukari Baba (JPN) 75 73, Beatriz Recari (ESP) 75 73, Lee-Anne Pace (SA) 76 72, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 74 74, Rui Kitada (JPN) 75 73, Kyeong Bae (KOR) 75 73, Hee-Kyung Seo (KOR) 73 75, Momoko Ueda (JPN) 74 74

149 – Caroline Afonso (FRA) 73 76, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 74 75, Grace Park (KOR) 75 74, Akiko Fukushima (JAP) 74 75, Jee Young Lee (KOR) 72 77, Seung-Hyun Lee (KOR) 79 70, Katie Futcher (USA) 73 76, Michelle Wie (USA) 76 73

150 – Amy Hung (TAI) 76 74, M. J. Hur (KOR) 77 73, Mindy Kim (SKO) 75 75

151 – Vicky Hurst (USA) 78 73, Amanda Blumenherst (USA) 78 73

152 – Zuzana Kamasova (SVK) 79 73, Hee Won Han (KOR) 79 73

153 – Sharmila Nicollet (IN) 81 72

154 – Caroline Rominger (SWI) 76 78, Diana Luna (ITA) 81 73

155 – Maria Verchenova (RUS) 81 74

157 – Kristie Smith (AUS) 80 77

160 – Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA) 84 76

162 – Alena Sharp (CAN) 80 82