Kraft Nabisco Championship - 2nd Round

Christina Kim and Kristy McPherson are tied for the lead at -6 after the second round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.  Cristie Kerr is in third place at -5, Brittany Lincicome is fourth at -4 while Jimin Kang and Lindsey Wright are tied for fifth at -3.

Friday's predicted 15-25mph winds eventually became 50+ gales, bringing much grief to the afternoon groups.  Only 11 players broke par (29 did so Thursday), all of them playing in the morning.  Conversely, 21 players scored 80 or higher, including Brittany Lang, Jee Young Lee and Ji-Hee Lee, who all broke 70 on Thursday.  Those three managed to make the cut, which soared to +8 by the end of the day.  Juli Inkster, Stacy Prammanasudh, Grace Park and Louise Friberg (87 after a promising 72) have all exited the building.

Playing in the relatively benign morning conditions, Kim posted her second straight 69.  She was -7 after a front-nine 32 but three bogeys in five holes set her back quickly.  A birdie-birdie finish got X-Tina in the house at -6.  McPherson's day started well with birdies at 11 and 13.  Two bogeys early on her back nine (2 and 3) hurt but she recovered to birdie 5 and 7.  Kerr fired the Round of the Day, a five-birdie one-bogey 68 to move into third place.  Twice during the afternoon, Lincicome reached -7 and the solo lead but three bogeys on the last six holes dropped her two shots back.

When she finished her round of 72 and stood at -2, Paula Creamer was probably rather dejected about her status, and Pat Hurst and Helen Alfredsson probably were too.  The brutal late conditions leave them tied for seventh and four shots behind, fine positioning for the weekend.  Angela Stanford is probably disappointed in her 75 but she too is in that tie for seventh, in good shape.  Not so fortunate was Ji Young Oh.  Tied for second at the start of the day, Oh carded a 78 and fell to +1 T18.  Two players we haven't heard much from lately, Shi Hyun Ahn and Alena Sharp, played early and posted 69s.  Ahn took full advantage and moved up from T62 to T15 while Sharp climbed from T80 to T18.