Korean Ryu leads Women's Aust Open golf

10 Feb 2012, 8:16 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Korean golfer So Yeong Ryu leads the Women's Australian Open at six under, one stroke clear of compatriot Hee Kyung Seo and Paraguayan Julieta Granada.

Young Korean golfer So Yeon Ryu followed her coach's instructions - take a deep breath - and wound up leading the Women's Australian Open.

The 21-year-old, who won the US Open last year, fired a four-under-par 69 at Royal Melbourne to be six under ahead of Saturday's third round.

She holds a one-shot edge over compatriot Hee Kyung Seo (66) and Paraguayan Julieta Granada (72).

Four players are in a tie for third at four under, including Jessica Korda, the 19-year-old US-born daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda.

Nikki Campbell (74) is best of the Australians, even with the card in a tie for 10th, while four-time champion Karrie Webb sits four over after a 75.

Defending champion and World No.1 Yani Tseng (76) toppled from second overnight, self-destructing with a quadruple bogey eight at the seventh hole.

Ryu admitted she was prone to rushing her pre-game practice and agreed to settle down after talking to Australian coach Ian Triggs.

"Sometimes I lose concentration and he wanted me to feel the putts on the putting green," Ryu said.

"I practised just feeling putts. Sometimes, if I am really nervous, my routine is so fast. I just slowed down and really focused on my ball."

She tied for second at last week's Australian Ladies Masters at Royal Pines and, despite the vast differences in the courses, felt she was adjusting well.

"(Triggs) is travelling with me last week and this week," she said.

"He is a coach but feels like a father, so maybe I feel more comfortable here."

She said she was too nervous in the final round last weekend and feels the advice to take a breath will serve her well in the Open.

"I think the reason was that I really wanted to win the tournament. I think it was really high expectations of myself. I was thinking about winning and the trophy and maybe I lost concentration."

Seo also was tentative coming into the week, wary of Royal Melbourne's reputation for punishing wayward shots and treating visitors to glassy greens.

"It is very hard to play this great course," Seo said. "I know it is not an easy course so I was nervous."

Seo fired a brilliant seven-under-par 66 in a round which included nine glittering birdies and two bogeys.

Again, there was a helpful Australian connection, with Dean Herden from NSW carrying her bag.

"He is not just a caddie for me," she said. "He is like a brother, a dad sometimes, a friend. He makes me really comfortable all the time.

"Sometimes he pushes me hard - not on the course but in training. I am very happy and very thankful for him."

Tseng was in second place after the first round but ruined her chances on Friday when she flew her tee shot into trees at the par-four seventh hole.

The Taiwanese tried twice to hack her way out, took a penalty drop and eventually reached the green and two-putted for an ugly eight.

Two successive bogeys followed although she fought back to some extent with two birdies on the homeward nine to be level with the card and six off the lead.

American 16-year-old Lexi Thompson is two over after her second 74 while 14-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko, the winner of the recent NSW Open, is four over after a 76.

Second-ranked Suzann Pettersen followed her opening 80 - the second-highest score of her LPGA Tour career - with a 71 to make the cut but fourth-ranked Cristie Kerr missed the cut with rounds of 75 and 78.

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