Soo Bin Joo demonstrated remarkable skill and resilience in the face of strong winds at the ShopRite LPGA, held at the Seaview Hotel in Galloway, New Jersey. On Friday, Joo posted a 3-under 68, extending her lead to four shots by the end of the day. Her performance was highlighted by a long two-putt birdie on the 18th hole, which capped off a challenging round.
Joo, who previously won on the Epson Tour two years ago, completed two rounds with a total score of 8-under 134. Reflecting on her approach, Joo noted, “I was barely making pars on the golf course today and yesterday was like going for birdies on every single hole. So different game plan and a different mindset. I think that put me in a good position today.”
Among her competitors, Japanese twins Chizzy and Aki Iwai each managed a 68, placing them in a group four shots behind Joo. This group also included Celine Boutier of France, who shot a 72, Somi Lee of South Korea with a 69, and Israeli player Laetitia Beck, who led initially but fell back with a 75. Beck commented on the challenging conditions, stating, “Today was extremely windy, so definitely was much harder to judge club selections, and putts were also much harder. That’s where I pretty much struggled today. I didn’t make putts.”
Joo, however, excelled with only 25 putts, dropping just one shot on the opening hole. She remarked on the difficulty of the conditions, saying, “I almost shank my 3-wood on the first tee. I mean, it looked way bad because of the wind. I knew that it was going to play as a different golf course, like a totally different golf course comparing to yesterday, so I was trying to stay mentally calm and also physically calm, too.”
The windy conditions affected many players, with eight failing to break 80, while 11 managed to break 70, mostly in the calmer morning conditions. Charley Hull, ranked No. 7 and the only player from the top 10 in the world present, missed the cut after rounds of 74 and 75. The ShopRite LPGA, one of two LPGA tournaments played over 54 holes, had a cut at 3-over 145.
Joo, currently ranked No. 252 in the world, is aiming for her first LPGA title. She expressed her excitement, saying, “I started playing golf because I want to win a tournament on LPGA, so it will be super fun, very exciting. But right now I just want to get a hot shower. So cold, yeah. Freezing.”
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
