World Golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam hit a double-bogey seven on the par-5 17th hole late in her second round Friday at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, costing her a chance at the lead going into the weekend. But don’t you dare count her out yet, because even after that late slipup, Sorenstam is still squarely in contention at 4 under par through two rounds, just three shots back of the leader.
That 17th Hole Was a Rollercoaster!
Man, that 17th hole at Barton Hills Country Club played a wild game with Sorenstam. She was cruising, 2 under on her round Friday and had gotten to 6 under for the tournament. Then came the 478-yard 17th, which is usually a par 4 for members but got stretched to a par 5 for this championship. Sorenstam, who actually eagled this very hole on Thursday, hit a 3-wood into the green but didn’t catch it clean. She found a cross-bunker well short of the green. From there, her shot was low on the club face, landing her in a greenside bunker with a nasty crater lie. Boom, double-bogey. No thought of laying up, though. “Sometimes,” she said, “you’ve got to go for it to go for the prize.” She summed it up perfectly after her even-par 72 round, saying, “I had some chances, played a little aggressive there on 17. Had to take my medicine.”
Redman Holds the Lead as Legends Chase Hard
While Sorenstam was taking her medicine, Michele Redman, an Ohio native at 61 years old with two LPGA wins, seized the lead. Redman fired a fantastic 68 in the second round, including an eagle on that same 17th hole where she sunk about a 13-foot putt, to reach 7 under par. She’s got Sorenstam, fellow Hall-of-Famer Karrie Webb, and defending champion Becky Morgan all breathing down her neck, tied for second at 4 under. Webb, 51, who boasts 41 LPGA wins and seven majors, shot a 69, just like Morgan, 51. You know what that means for Saturday morning? Redman, Sorenstam, and Webb will be in the final grouping. Redman sounds ready for it, saying, “Perfect. That will be fun. I don’t know if I need any more motivation. I’m kind of old for that now.”
This U.S. Senior Women’s Open is shaping up to be way more competitive than last year, when Morgan won by a whopping six shots. With two rounds left to play over the weekend, nine players are under par. Morgan and Sorenstam are both looking to become the first two-time winner of this championship, which started back in 2018. Morgan is hyped, too. “That’s where I obviously would like to be,” she said. “Try and do well this year after last year. In a funny way, I think because I won last year, I don’t feel as much pressure. Really looking forward to the challenge.” Saturday is going to be absolutely electric as these legends battle it out. You won’t want to miss a single shot!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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