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Park surges top of US Women’s Open leaderboard

Sung Hyun Park, of South Korea, reacts after missing a birdie putt on the second green during the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at CordeValle Saturday, July 9, 2016, in San Martin, Calif.

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“I think nerves are good but I think the most nervous I’ve actually ever been at any tournament was this event, the U.S. Open, when I played for the first time at Blackwolf Run. I’ve only won once, so obviously I’m not doing a very good job with it. So it will be a good test”.

“Unfortunately, I am not the one holding the trophy, but I feel proud of the way I played”, Ko told reporters after finishing at four-under 284, just two shots behind playoff victor Brittany Lang. That year she was in second place after three rounds.

Noren – the second-round leader by a shot – defied the conditions by hitting a 219-yard tee shot to 3 feet at No. 17 and then getting up and down at the par-5 18th for another birdie. “I left a couple of shots out there, made a couple of mistakes on the back nine, club-wise and aiming-wise”.

Lydia Ko was tied for 52nd place before the start of Friday’s second round of the U.S. Women’s Open at CordeValle in San Martin.

World number one Lydia Ko was seemingly well placed to carve out another slice of golfing history at the U.S. Women’s Open on Sunday until she stunningly dropped five shots in seven holes around the turn.

But things then quickly fell apart. She has broken par all three rounds with a 69 and 71 in the first two rounds followed by the 2-under performance on Saturday. She says her way of chilling out is to watch “drama shows” on television, including a favorite one that she translated into English as “Amazing Challenges”.

Kerr, playing in the same group with Lee, almost matched her stroke for stroke with players standing 3-under through their first 11 holes. “So score, it’s not bad, but not good, too”.

Ko held the 54-hole lead, but she closed with a 5-over-par 75 and finished tied for third. She added two more birdies before capping her round with the seventh of the day at the par-5 18th to cap her strong day.

Ko is seeking to become youngest victor of the tournament, at age 19.

“Experience is huge”, said Ko, who was beaten by Canadian Brooke Henderson on the first extra hole of last month’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship outside Seattle. “I think I tried to stay patient and calm out there today”. That’s why I am more comfortable. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) had a 74 and was 1 over going into the weekend.

John Daly and Stephen Ames each shot 68 and were tied for sixth at 8 under with Bart Bryant, who shot 70. She tied for 39th that year, and as far as anyone can tell, hasn’t been shaken since.

David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) missed the cut. The British Open is staged in Western Scotland next week. Both were at 12-under 132. Park looked every bit a player to be reckoned with after a 6-under par 66 that made her the leader by two strokes at the tournament’s halfway point.

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Notable players failing to make the cut included popular 2014 champion Michelle Wie and South Korean legend Se Ri Pak.

Sung Hyun Park