As Casandra Alexander has discovered so far in her impressive season, no lead is safe.
The South African has managed five second-place finishes on the Ladies European Tour so far this season without managing a win. Although, a second-round 66 to back up her opening 63 for a 15-under-par 129 at the midway point has left her in a strong position in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, five stroke clear of her closest pursuers, Sara Kouskova, Brianna Navarrosa and Corinne Viden.
So far on the Palmer South course, the 27-year-old has been imperious, but although the world number 38 – the best ranked player in the field – has taken control at the K Club, the task remains only half-complete. Heading into the weekend, unsettled weather and the chasing pack both have potential to bring about her undoing.
In excellent scoring conditions, mainly dry and with only a slight breeze, Alexander, who would seem destined for life on the LPGA Tour, consolidated her lead on Friday. Sweden’s Viden and American Navarrosa both posted 64s, the lowest rounds of the day, as did Viden before she was hit with a one-shot penalty for stepping on her ball.
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Leona Maguire would have been hoping for an improved second-round outing, but it was not to be. The Cavan woman added another 71 for a midway total of 142, 13 shots adrift of Alexander.
Maguire was one of six Irish players to survive the halfway cut. Canice Screene, who shot a 67 for 139 in tied-eighth, leads the home challenge heading into the weekend. Áine Donegan, with a second-round 73 for 142, joined Maguire in tied-26th, while Anna Foster’s 71 for 143 had her alongside Annabel Wilson in tied-41st, and Lauren Walsh’s 70 for 144 saw her make the cut on the mark.
Having missed cuts on each of her last two LPGA Tour events, Maguire played well without managing to reflect it on her scorecard. “Overall there’s more positives than not,” she said after Friday’s round.
But the putter didn’t convert many chances. “I wasn’t hitting bad putts, so it was a lot of burning edges and stuff like that. I mean, it’s not far away. I feel like it’s very close to being very good. Obviously today was prime conditions for shooting that sort of (low) number and I didn’t take advantage of it. But we’ll see what we get over the weekend and just keep trying to give myself as many chances as I can,” Maguire added.
Alexander’s start on Friday hinted at her intent. An eagle-birdie-birdie provided the momentum to widen her lead, keeping her on course for a second career LET win, following up on her victory at the Czech Open last year.
“If we are going to win, we’re going to make sure we win by a few, because I’m not going to leave it up to chance,” said Alexander, who sits atop the LET order of merit. “We’ve come up one or two short a couple of times, but they’ve all been different situations. I don’t feel like I’ve thrown it away, it’s just coming short. So I want to make sure if I have that opportunity this week, it doesn’t happen.”
And the LET order of merit title is also on her wish list: “I think winning golf tournaments is important. I think winning on the LET is really important, but I think that order of merit is something that only a few have achieved.
“It shows the consistency over the year, not just winning. But I definitely need to get a couple wins before we get to that LET order of merit winner.”
Scores are round two
129 C Alexander (RSA) 63, 66
134 S Kouskova (Cze) 68, 66; B Navarrosa 69, 65
135 L Rydqvist (Swe) 68, 67; C Viden (Swe) 70, 65
136 L Pettersson (Swe) 71, 65
137 A Fosterling (Ger) 70, 67
139 C Screene (Irl) 72, 67; N Komulainen (Fin) 73, 66; P Urs (Ind) 69, 70; A Fanali (Ita) 67, 72
140 LM Humphreys (Eng) 67, 73; K Arwe fjall (Swe) 69, 71; D Forbrigd (Nor) 70, 70; A Hewson (Eng) 71, 69; B Fernandez (Esp) 72, 68; C Herbin-Marshall (Fra) 72, 68
141 G Clews (Eng) 70, 71; AP Trevino (Esp) 73, 68; Ana Dawson (IMN) 67, 74; H Darling (Sco) 74, 67; L Hall (Wal) 72, 69; M Folke (Swe) 70, 71; M Hinson-Tolchard (Aus) 70, 71; S Witt (Ger) 71, 70
142 A Donegan (Irl) 69, 73; J Melichova (Cze) 67, 75; T Cheenglab (Tha) 71, 71; A Lignell (Swe) 73, 69; U Wikstrom (Fin) 74, 68; K Napoleaova (Cze) 74, 68; M Skarpnord (Nor) 71, 71; A Fuller (Eng) 68, 74; H Screen (Eng) 71, 71; E Spitz (Aut) 74, 68; L Maguire (Irl) 71, 71; L Harm (Ger) 70, 72; S Schober (Aut) 72, 70; C Macnab (RSA) 71, 71; G Iziemgbe Oboh (Ngr) 74, 68
143 W Hillier (Aus) 76, 67; R Liti (Ita) 71, 72; C Williams (Wal) 75, 68; L Lau (Fra) 72, 71; P Babnik (Slo) 74, 69; V Knecht (Sui) 72, 71; A Sauzon (Fra) 71, 72; A Foster (Irl) 72, 71; D Harry (Wal) 74, 69; A Morgan (USA) 72, 71; A Wilson (NI) 71, 72
144 M Svedenskiold (Swe) 72, 72; C Gainer (Eng) 71, 73; PI Schmidt (Ger) 77, 67; L Walsh (Irl) 74, 70; A Taylor (Eng) 74, 70; E Hamilton (Eng) 72, 72; S Tan (Sin) 72, 72; A Garvey (NZ) 73, 71; K Rudgeley (Aus) 73, 71
Irish missed cut:
146 S Byrne 73, 73; 147 K Dillon (amateur) 77, 70; 148 A Abom (a) 76, 72; O Costello 78, 70; O Mehaffey 73, 75; 149 K Poots (a) 78, 71; 150 Anna Dawson 74, 76; 152 B Coulter 76, 76; 154 E Fleming (a) 76, 78; 163 E Cantwell (a) 85, 78
