Karrie Webb slipped down the leaderboard at the women's US Open but she'll at least be there for the weekend after a dismal day for the Australians in Pennsylvania.
Five Australians - Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk, Sarah-Jane Smith, Breanna Elliott and Su Oh - all missed the cut after Friday's second round at Lancaster Country Club to leave veteran Webb as the nation's only remaining representative.
Webb too had a day to forget, unable to match her red-hot opening round of 66 that placed her in a share of the lead as she carded a 72 to drop five shots behind leader Amy Yang.
Back-to-back bogeys on the first and second holes weighed down Webb's round, the 40-year-old Queenslander moving down to a tie for fifth at two-under.
Yang, who was born in South Korea, lived on the Gold Coast in Australia for five years from the age of 10 but now resides in Florida, rolled in four consecutive birdies on holes 11-14 to shoot to the lead at seven-under.
Stacy Lewis, last year's runner-up, and Japan's Shiho Oyama were tied for second at four-under.
Marina Alex, part of a three-way tie for the lead after one round, carded a one-over 71 and was next at three-under.
With Webb at two-under is top-ranked and two-time champion Inbee Park (70), first-round co-leader Jane Park (72) and Michelle Pressel (70).
Young gun Lee (72) missed the cut-off by just one stroke at five-over while fellow 19-year-old Australian Oh improved on Friday with a 73 but after a horror 79 in the opening round, was well off the pace at 12-over.
Kirk (73) at eight-over, Smith (73) at nine-over and Elliott (77) at 10-over were similarly a long way back.
Defending champion Michelle Wie rebounded from an opening 72 with a 2-under 68 and was seven shots off the lead, while 18-year-old New Zealander Lydia Ko (72) is tied for 32nd at two-over.
"I just enjoy it out here," Yang said. "And I know the golf courses are very tough; I just enjoy the tough condition of the golf courses."
Lewis' patience was tested early in the first round as she struggled with four bogeys and two birdies before breaking out of her funk. That carried over into the second round and she went on a hot streak.
"I just started playing golf, is really what it was," Lewis said, "I was thinking a lot those first 10, 11 holes, thinking a lot about my golf swing and just not playing. So I got to just playing golf ... and it's what you're seeing in the scores."
Inbee Park and Jane Park were two of the 55 players forced to finish their first rounds early Friday after play was suspended late Thursday when a powerful storm pounded Lancaster Country Club.
Share
