Piller grabs lead at weather-hit LPGA Texas Shootout

Los Angeles (AFP) – Gerina Piller tapped in for birdie at the final hole on Friday to take a one-shot second-round lead in the weather-disrupted LPGA Texas Shootout in Dallas.

The American landed her approach at 18 two feet from the pin and rolled in the putt for her sixth birdie of a bogey-free day. Her 10-under total of 132 gave her a one-shot lead over South Korean Ji Eun-Hee, who had six birdies and a bogey in her 66 for 133.

Overnight leader Hur Mi-Jung of South Korea had three birdies in her first 12 holes and was alone in third place at eight-under with six holes remaining when play was suspended for the day.

The storms rolled in at Las Colinas in the Dallas suburb of Irving with all 24 of the afternoon groups still on the course.

Piller, a native of nearby Fort Worth, was pleased to complete her round before the weather hit.

“You know, it’s one of those things where you just go out there and go OK, this could be my last hole before the delay,” Piller said of playing on a day on which the forecast was grim.

However, the rainy week had it’s benefits as well.

“The course is actually in soft conditions so that always helps to get the ball to stop,” Piller said.

But accurate shots into the greens remained crucial, she said.

“These greens are pretty tricky. So getting it close is definitely huge out here because the greens, some of them are pretty big, and some of the breaks you can get pretty fast putts going downhill down grain, and you can also get really slow putts going the opposite way,” Piller said.

“It definitely helps to be hitting it really well.”

Ji opened the second round with a bogey at the par-five 10th. She bounced back with birdies at 14 and 18, then birdied four more coming home, including the par-four ninth to cap her round.

“Yeah, I was sleeping there,” The 2009 US Open champion said of her three-putt opening bogey. “But the greens were a lot faster than yesterday because I played in the afternoon yesterday. I just figured out the putting speed — it was better after that.”

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn got off to an even slower start, opening with three straight bogeys before posting six birdies and an eagle at the par-five 10th to sign for a 66 that put her in fourth place on seven-under 135.

The 70 players still to finish the second round will resume on Saturday morning. After a halfway cut is made, the third round is scheduled to start before noon.