OCALA, Fla. 鈥� Jennifer Kupcho and Austin Ernst each shot their second straight 5-under 67 to share the second-round lead Friday in the LPGA Tour's Drive On Championship.
A day after playing most of the back nine with a migraine that blurs her vision, Kupcho had six birdies and a bogey at Golden Ocala.
鈥淚鈥檓 feeling a lot better today,鈥� the 23-year-old former NCAA champion said. 鈥淚 would say yesterday was pretty rough. Yeah, the whole back nine I just pretty much wanted to get off the golf course and go lay down. ... It was definitely a rough day, but was able to get through it well so that was helpful.鈥�
Golden Ocala is renowned for having replica holes from famous courses, three of them from Augusta National and two from the Old Course at St. Andrews. Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women鈥檚 Amateur in 2019 with a back-nine charge.
鈥淭hey are very similar and the look is definitely very similar, but I think I鈥檓 more nervous playing them than I was back then, actually,鈥� Kupcho said.
The former Wake Forest star from Colorado is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in contention before out here,鈥� Kupcho said. 鈥淛ust go out and relax and have fun.鈥�
Ernst had a bogey-free round. She has two LPGA Tour victories.
鈥淔airways were a little allege bouncy this afternoon so got a few more wedges,鈥� Ernst said. 鈥淵ou get quite a few wedge opportunities, so you have to take advantage of it with how firm the greens are."
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 3-under 69 and is 1 under for the tournament, nine off the lead. Calgary's Jaclyn Lee is 1 over and Hamilton's Alena Sharp missed the cut at 4 over.
Carlota Ciganda of Spain had the best round of the day, a bogey-free 65 to get to 8 under. She played alongside Laura Davies, the 57-year-old Hall of Famer who rebounded from an opening 75 with a 69 to advance to the weekend at even par.
鈥淚 love playing with her,鈥� Ciganda said. 鈥淚 think she鈥檚 amazing to play with. I think her talent is unbelievable, like everything she does with her different shots. She鈥檚 very creative. Lots of imagination.鈥�
Davies is playing on a World Golf Hall of Fame exemption.
鈥淚鈥檓 still a decent ball-striker,鈥� Davies said. 鈥淢y nerves let me down more than my game. So that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 still here playing, because I can hit the shots. It鈥檚 just hitting them in the right order. That鈥檚 the problem.鈥�
Nelly Korda, tied for the first-round lead with Kupcho and Ernst, was three strokes back after a 70. Playing in a group with sister Jessica Korda the first two days, Nelly Korda is trying to win consecutive events and run the family winning streak to three. Jessica Korda won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, and Nelly Korda took the Gainbridge LPGA last week at Lake Nona.
鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 so mentally draining," Korda said about trying to win two straight events. "I played on Tuesday. I played the back nine and I was just like, `I do not want to be out here.' But it鈥檚 just something where you鈥檙e like, `OK, it鈥檚 the first day. Let鈥檚 go, come on.鈥欌��
Lydia Ko was 3 under after a 72. Second-ranked Sei Young Kim and No. 5 Danielle Kang were another stroke back, each shooting 70.
Lexi Thompson and Brooke Henderson were 1 under, each following an opening 74 with a 69.
Jessica Korda shot a 75 to fall to even par. Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, playing with Korda sisters, followed her opening 75 with a 72 to miss the cut by a stroke.
The Associated Press
