Anna Nordqvist of Sweden shot an even-par 72 to maintain a one-stroke lead over Sandra Gal of Germany, Azahara Munoz of Spain and Julieta Granada of Paraguay midway through the Honda LPGA Thailand on the Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand.
Nordqvist, who opened with a 66, is seeking her third LPGA Tour victory and the first since 2009. She stayed ahead of the pack despite bogeys on her last two holes
“There were some tough pins out there,” said Nordqvist, a two-time All-American at Arizona State who captured the 2008 British Ladies Amateur Championship. “A lot of them were on ridges, and I felt like I hit a lot of good shots and kept spinning off the ridges. Not much you can do.
“Felt like I hit it solid. A little disappointed to finish with a bogey on the last. Overall, I’ve been hitting it great this week. Today I felt like all things were good. Just couldn’t get any putts to drop.”
Granada, whose only LPGA Tour victory came in the 2006 LPGA Playoffs at ADT, carded a bogey-free 68, while Munoz made her only bogey at No. 14 in another 68, and Gal came in with a 70, dropping a shot only on the 16th hole.
Stacy Lewis, No. 3 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, birdied the last hole to shoot 69 and was two strokes back in a tie for fifth with Michelle Wie, who struggled to a 73.
Top-ranked Inbee Park of South Korea, playing in her first tournament of the year, had a second 71 and was four shots behind in a tie for 11th that included No. 2 Suzann Pettersen of Norway, who could manage only a 73.
