Davidson shares lead as Aussies charge at Meijer Classic – Golf Australia Magazine – The Women’s Game

Davidson is tied for the halfway lead after shooting a second-round two-under-par 70 at Blythefield County Club.

The 26-year-old moved to eight under along with Spaniard Carlota Ciganda (67), South Korean Hye-Jin Choi (67) and Frenchwoman Celina Boutier (68).

Playing in the second-to-last group off the first tee, Davidson birdied the par-4 16th and par-5 18th to charge into a share of the halfway lead.

“We just really hung in there today,” she said. “Was a bit of a grind, and nice to get the couple birdies at the end.

“I think this is the first time I’ve been tied for first in an LPGA event after two rounds, so, yeah, I’m just really excited that I wasn’t fighting for the cut.

“It was a bit of a different feeling out there.”

Davidson and company are just one shot in front of Lee (70) and four others, including sentimental American favourite Lexi Thompson, with fellow Australians Steph Kyriacou (68), Cassie Porter (70), Gabriela Ruffels (71) and Grace Kim (73) all only two strokes off the pace at six under. 

Thompson and Kim finished joint runners-up last year after falling to Lilia Vu in a three-way play-off.

Making her sixth start of the season in a part-time tour schedule, Thompson birdied three of the last four holes in breezy afternoon conditions to join Lee, Dane Nanna Koerstz Madsen (68), Paraguyan Sofia Garcia (71) and US pair Amanda Doherty (69) and Bronte Law (69) at seven under.

“The golf course is one thing. It’s always in great shape for us, which we always look forward to,” Thompson, the 2015 champion, said after the bogey-free round on the tree-lined layout.

“But the amount of support that the tournament gets and also how Meijer gives back to the community as well, it’s not just a tournament – it’s much bigger than that.”

The 30-year-old from Florida won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in 2019.

“Some days are harder than others and we get frustrated, but at the end of the day it is just golf,” said Thompson, also set to play next week’s Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.

Kim bogeyed two of her last three holes to fall out of a tie for the lead, but is still well in contention to atone for last year’s play-off disappointment.

Vu missed the cut with rounds of 77 and 75.