Pace slips at Evian Championship

South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace slipped outside the top 30 and compatriots Paula Reto and Connie Chen missed the cut alongside a clutch of 2015 Solheim Cup players, while Mi Hyang Lee from South Korea took control the Evian Championship in Friday’s second round in Evian-Les-Bains in France.

Pearl Valley’s Pace began and finished with birdies, but signed for a disappointing 73 after bogeys at three, four and six.

The LPGA Tour winner joined Alena Sharp from Canada, Americans Stacy Lewis and Danielle Kang and Pernilla Lindberg from Sweden in a tie for 32^nd at one over 143.

Lee added a 67 to her opening 66 to move to nine-under-par 133, one stroke clear of Morgan Pressel from the United States.

The American made eight birdies to post the low round of the day, a six under 65, to vault to second, while last week’s Helsingborg Open winner, Nicole Broch Larsen from Denmark, took third at seven under with a 67.

Meanwhile Reto carded rounds of 79 and 74, while Chen returned rounds of 82 and 86, but the South African pair were not the only casualties of the cut, set at six over 148, in the season’s final Major.

Former world number one and five-time Major winner Yani Tseng, 2014 Ricoh British Women’s Open champion Mo Martin were also sent packing, as well as Brittany Lincicome, Angela Stanford, Brittany Lang and Paula Creamer – all members of the US Team for this year’s Solheim Cup.

Caroline Hedwall, Azahara Munoz, Caroline Masson and Melissa Reid from the 2015 European Team also received their marching orders.

World number two Lydia strengthened her bid to become the youngest player to win a Major. The New Zealand teenager carded a 69 to join a six-way tie for fifth on four under 138.

Inbee Park also improved her chances of gaining a career Grand Slam.

The world number one followed an opening 72 with a 69 to move to 20^th on one under 141.

SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD (Top 10)
133 Mi Hyang Lee KOR
134 Morgan Pressel USA
135 Nicole Broch Larsen DEN
136 Shanshan Feng CHI
138 Amy Yang KOR, Ilhee Lee KOR, IK Kim KOR, Lydia Ko NZL, Pornanong Phatlum THA, Lexi Thompson USA

PHOTO – Mi Hyang Lee from South Korea; credit Philippe Millereau / KMSP / DPPI