Teenage sensation shoots to the top
Alexis Thompson made a spectacular move to the top of the leaderboard when the teenage sensation shot a bogey-free round of six-under par 66 in the second round of the Dubai Ladies Masters on Thursday.
Playing in the afternoon group, the 16-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, chased down clubhouse leader Sophie Gustafson of Sweden and moved ahead with three birdies on either half of the Majlis course.
The 66 took the youngest ever winner in the history of the LPGA Tour to eight-under par 136 for the two rounds, and she is two ahead of Gustafson, who carded a 67, and Italy's Margherita Rigon (68).
Also making a move was Thompson's compatriot, 22-year-old Michelle Wie. The Hawaiian also produced a bogey-free round of 67 to move to four-under par 140, which tied her for the sixth place along with overnight leader Lotta Wahlin of Sweden and two others.
The talented Paraguyan Julieta Granada (71) and Wales' Becky Morgan (69) were tied fourth at 139.
Thompson, playing with her father caddying for her, said: "I was just thinking stay steady and play consistent - take it one shot at a time. I just made a few more putts today, and I hit it a little bit closer.
"It's great to have my dad on the bag. He knows my game the best. He's been pretty much caddying for me my whole life, so for now it's the best thing for me."
Gustafson, who missed two birdie putts inside 10 feet on her last two holes, said her ball striking was the key and credited Swedish Golf Federation coaches Patrik Johnsson and Katarina Vagndahl, who gave her a lesson after a poor ball-striking round during the pro-am on Tuesday.
Gustafson said: "I was striking the ball really well. So it feels good. It feels pretty good because I was actually hitting the ball awful on Tuesday, but the Swedish coaches that are here this week from the Swedish Golf Federation helped me find my ball striking."
Wie, played the back nine at four-under par 33 and it could have been even better had she not missed an eight-footer birdie putt on the 17th, and then failed to make up-and-down from just over the green on the 18th.
Wie, the highest ranked player in the field this week, said: "A little frustrated after the last two holes, but I kept steady out there today. I made a couple more putts, and I have two more days to try and shoot some more low scores. I'm still in contention, and gotta shoot another low round tomorrow."
LEADING SECOND-ROUND SCORES
136 – Alexis Thompson (USA) 70 66
138 – Sophie Gustafson (SWE) 71 67, Margherita Rigon (ITA) 70 68
139 – Julieta Granada (PAR) 68 71, Becky Morgan (WAL) 70 69
140 – Michelle Wie (USA) 73 67, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 72 68, Lotta Wahlin (SWE) 66 74, Louise Larsson (SWE) 71 69
141 – Elisabeth Esterl (GER) 70 71, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 68 73, Stacy Lee Bregman (SA) 68 73, Beth Allen (USA) 69 72, Minea Blomqvist (FIN) 68 73, Lee-Anne Pace (SA) 69 72, Christel Boeljon (NL) 69 72
142 – Sara Brown (USA) 71 71, Diana Luna (ITA) 69 73, Kylie Walker (SCO) 72 70, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 72 70, Liebelei Elena Lawrence (LU) 70 72, Louise Stahle (SWE) 72 70, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 67 75, Georgina Simpson (ENG) 72 70
143 – Maria Verchenova (RUS) 69 74, Melissa Reid (ENG) 72 71, Dewi Claire Schreefel (NL) 74 69, Jaclyn Sweeney (USA) 69 74, Lynnette Brooky (NZ) 71 72, Hannah Jun (USA) 73 70, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 71 72, Kaisa Ruuttila (FIN) 71 72, Karen Lunn (AUS) 70 73, Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 74 69
144 – Clare Queen (SCO) 74 70, Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 75 69, Caroline Afonso (FRA) 70 74, Lorie Kane (CAN) 74 70, Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 74 70, Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA) 70 74, Giulia Sergas (ITA) 75 69, Alison Walshe (USA) 70 74, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 72 72
145 – Julie Maisongrosse (FRA) 69 76, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) 72 73, Sophie Sandolo (ITA) 72 73
146 – Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) 70 76, Jade Schaeffer (FRA) 74 72, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 76 70, Carin Koch (SWE) 73 73, Carmen Alonso (ESP) 73 73, Caroline Westrup (SWE) 70 76, Lydia Hall (WAL) 72 74, Malene Jorgensen (DEN) 72 74, Rebecca Codd (IRE) 73 73
147 – Tandi Cuningham (SA) 69 78, Kim Welch (USA) 73 74, Christina Kim (USA) 73 74, Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 75 72, Tania Elosegui (ESP) 73 74, Rachel Jennings (ENG) 71 76, Lynn Kenny (SCO) 73 74, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 72 75, Stacey Keating (AUS) 70 77, Nikki Garrett (AUS) 72 75, Rebecca Flood (AUS) 74 73, Jenni Kuosa (FIN) 72 75
Missed the cut
148 – Ashleigh Simon (SA) 75 73
149 – Morgana Robbertze (SA) 76 73
154 – Laurette Maritz (SA) 78 76
156 – Laura Davies (ENG) 75 81
Report Day 1