Sung Hyun Park takes early clubhouse lead at US Women’s Open

She played the last 34 holes in 9 under par, giving herself a one-stroke advantage over 2009 U.S. Women’s Open victor Eun Hee Ji and championship rookie Sung Hyun Park.

“I nearly think my par on 14 was the more meaningful putt of the two”. “All I can do is focus on the shot I have in front of me, try my best at what I’m going to do. I don’t even think about the winning, I just enjoy the play”.

“I have done my best today”, said Park, who’s playing in her first U.S. Women’s Open.

Alex Noren will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Scottish Open at a rainy Castle Stuart, after birdies at the final two holes on Saturday.

She had to make a birdie on the second playoff hole to stay alive and then eliminated Shculdt with a par on the third playoff hole to clinch the second qualifying spot. Brittany Lang and Amy Yang are two shots back at 5 under, and Angela Stanford is in sixth place at 4 under at CordeValle.

Ko, South Korean-born but raised in New Zealand from age 5, went to the front of a tight pack with a birdie on the 18th hole to grab the Open lead heading into Sunday’s final round. “Just to know that this is the first time I was under par for the tournament kind of put myself in a positive position. I just tried to enjoy it out there”.

But the 19-year-old, two-time major victor also had trouble at No. 9 with her first bogey, which dropped her back to her original starting position at 5-under.

“I didn’t start off very well, missing the fairway on one”, Ko told reporters after beginning her round with a bogey and ending it with a four-foot putt for birdie at the last.

“I think nerves are good because it means you’re excited”, Ko said.

She will call on her breakthrough wins at the Evian Championship and ANA Inspiration throughout her 18 holes on Sunday.

NOTES: Lee Lopez had a hole-in-one on the 201-yard, par-3 12th hole. Thirty-seven LPGA events have been won by teenagers, with Ko accounting for 13. Golfers outside the of the top 60 (plus ties) are cut from the field after the first two rounds. Matteo Manassero and Branden Grace (both 67) were in a four-way tie for fourth on 6-under overall. “I left a couple of shots out there, made a couple of mistakes on the back nine, club-wise and aiming-wise”. He birdied Nos. 2 and 3, then Nos.

“The back nine played tough but I played steady, made a lot of good par saves and took advantage of the easy holes”.

Lee teed off after Park had completed her round and bogeyed Nos. “Every time I play a major, I am always learning from that”. “Why am I not able to control my hands?'” Ko said.

“I look a lot calmer than what goes on in the inside”.

She also would have felt better if her game was stronger these first three rounds.

“There’s no doubt I have to shoot at least 4 to 6 under, I’d say tomorrow to have a chance”, Kerr said.

So what kind of golf course is this, what kind of championship is this, who do you trust? “I keep fearing knocking it five, six feet by”.

First-round leader Mirim Lee, who tied a U.S. Open record with an 8-under par on Thursday, teed off in the afternoon on Friday.

Behind us were those following Sung Hyun Park, who had the two-day lead at 8-under.

Frenchman Jean Van de Velde shot 75 in his Champions Tour debut.