Jasmine Suwannapura maintains one-shot lead in Malaysia
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[October 28, 2023]
Thailand's Jasmine Suwannapura stumbled early in the second
round but rebounded to reclaim a one-shot lead over Rose Zhang at
the Maybank Championship on Friday at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country
Club in Malaysia.
Suwannapura shot a 3-under 69 in the second round and holds the
36-hole lead for the second time in her career at 12-under for the
tournament, one ahead of Zhang and two clear of Celine Boutier
(France), Peiyun Chien (Taiwan) and Hannah Green (Australia).
While Suwannapura lost her first-round lead early Friday with bogeys
on two of her first three holes, Zhang grabbed the lead and Boutier
made a charge with a second-round 64.
"I think I didn't really get stress about the two bogeys, and I feel
like today especially pin position was not that easy at all,"
Suwannapura said. "I feel like couple bogeys, it's makes sense. So
just trying my best and hopefully make some birdie coming in. ‘At
least make even par today.' That's what I think (after the bogeys)."
Zhang remains in moving position entering Saturday despite a
double-bogey on the par-4 14th thanks to birdies at Nos. 15 and 16
and another long birdie putt that fell on No. 18 for a second-round
68. Through two rounds, the American leads the field with 14
birdies.
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"When you're out here you really have to be
throwing darts and firing on all cylinders. When you make a mistake
it's how you stay composed and come back to it," Zhang said. "So I'm
really glad how I fought, and I felt like it was a really good way
to finish."
Boutier had nine birdies to rally from a three-putt
on the opening hole of her round, the 10th, but recalibrated
quickly.
"I was not really happy with my putting already on the first hole,"
Boutier said. "And then starting off with a three-putt was not
great, but then I had a good birdie chance on 11, which was my
second hole, and made it. That kind of gave me a little bit more of
a positive outlook on the rest of the day."
Chien shot a 69 and Green posted a 70 on Friday.
A Lim Kim of South Korea (66) and Gina Kim (70) are tied for sixth
at 9 under. Major champions Sei Young Kim of South Korea (67),
Brooke Henderson of Canada (67) and Ruoning Yin of China (68) are
among a group tied at 8 under.
--Field Level Media
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