Shin feels the heat, Salas lurks around

Shin feels the heat, Salas lurks around

Moriya close to getting a new swing, shares crowded 9th spot at Honda LPGA Thailand

Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand tees off during the second round.
Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand tees off during the second round.

Pattaya: South Korea's Jenny Shin snatched a one-shot lead with a last-hole birdie during an exciting second round of the Honda LPGA Thailand yesterday.

Shin made a bogey on the sixth hole but recovered with three birdies in a row and two more on holes 15 and 18 for a four-under-par 68 and 11-under-par 133 aggregate.

American Lizette Salas, Australia's Minjee Lee and first-round leader Ji Eun-Hee, another South Korean, were all one stroke back on a hot day at the par-72 Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course.

"I wasn't hydrated enough this morning and I could feel it by late afternoon," world No.67 Shin said.

"I thought I could have made a few more putts."

Moriya Jutanugarn was Thailand's best performer, shooting a 68 for a share of ninth place on 137 in the US$1.6 million tournament.

Jenny Shin watches her shot from the tee box during the second round yesterday.

The 13th hole proved unlucky for the 24-year-old as she made a bogey, her only blemish of the round.

World No.18 Moriya said she had been making adjustments to her swing, but was happy with her play in general.

"I've been working with my coach for a while. It's not that easy. I'm really close to getting there, but sometimes it's goes off a bit. I just have to be patient."

Her sister, world No.1 Ariya, dropped further off the pace with back-to-back double bogeys en route to a 72 and tied 19th.

"I got worried and scared after I made a bogey, and then a double bogey, so it was pretty tough for me," she said.

"I'm nervous and worried because I've not played well in the last few tournaments."

The 23-year-old added: "I think we have to understand that we are humans, so we are always going to make mistakes and we are always going to have worries.

"I do enjoy seeing the kids, who come up to me and say 'you inspire me', and that means so much to me."

Ariya won three tournaments, including the US Women's Open, last year, and swept all major season honours, including the money title, player of the year award and Race to the CME Globe.

But the two-time major champion, who also won the 2016 Women's British Open, has had a slow start to this season.

She finished 18th in the 26-player field at the season-opening Tournament of Champions in Florida last month and narrowly made the cut at last week's Women's Australian Open.

Meanwhile, Salas said she was happy to stay joint second and added that she had spent a lot of time in the gym during the off-season.

"I'm not a rookie anymore. I'm a veteran, so it's time to get serious. I've found I can be more aggressive with the driving game and things are starting to pay off," she said.

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