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The Honolulu Advertiser


Associated Press

Posted on: Saturday, October 3, 2009

9th-grader tied atop LPGA; Wie 2 back

 • Watson leads way in Senior's major

PRATTVILLE, Ala. — Ninth-grader Alexis Thompson shot a 3-under-par 69 yesterday for a share of the lead with top-ranked Lorena Ochoa and three others after the second round of the Navistar LPGA Classic.

Honolulu's Michelle Wie was two shots back after a 70.

The 14-year-old Thompson, from Coral Springs, Fla., is trying to become the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history.

"I mean, I can say I'm really mature for 14," said Thompson, the sister of PGA Tour player Nicholas Thompson. "I would definitely say that. But, I mean, I don't know. I just play golf every day. I mean, I'm young. That's the only difference. I don't know, I'm pretty good for a young player. ... I'm 14 and I just love to play golf."

Marlene Hagge won the 1952 Sarasota Open 14 days after her 18th birthday and took the Bakersfield Open two months later, but both were 18-hole events. Paula Creamer won the 2005 Sybase Classic at 18 years, 9 months to become the youngest winner of a full tournament.

Thompson won the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior and tied for 34th in July in the U.S. Women's Open. She shot a 65 on Thursday.

Ochoa (68), Laura Davies (65), Yani Tseng (63) and Giulia Sergas (65) matched Thompson at 10-under 134 on The Senator course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex.

Sophie Gustafson was 9 under after a 65, and Wie and first-round leader Janice Moodie (72) topped a group at 8 under.

"I hit solid shots out there, but I just didn't get them as close to the holes as I wanted them to," Wie said. "I left a lot of putts out. I felt like I should have made a lot more putts today."

"But, you know, I'm pretty happy with the way I played. But like I said, there's a lot more work to be done in the next couple days."