Sports

Carter Holds Two-Shot Lead Entering Saturday's Play in Kia Classic

Dori Carter holds a two-shot lead over Stacy Lewis and Cristie Kerr entering today's third round of the $1.7 million Kia Classic at the Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Resort in Carlsbad.

Carter shot a career-low and women's course record eight-under-par 64 Friday to go to 10-under-par for the tournament, leading for the first time in her four-year LPGA Tour career.

Carter began the second round three shots behind co-leaders Paula Creamer and Mariajo Uribe, following a first-round two-under-par 70. She opened round two with five birdies and a bogey on the front nine, then birdied each of the first four holes of the back nine.

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Carter's streak of five consecutive birdies ended with a par on the 14th hole, but she birdied the 15th and 16th, only to end her round with back-to- back bogeys.

Carter said she thought her parents Len and Melissa, following the tournament via computer in their Valdosta, Ga. home, were "probably not sure the score's right."

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"They're probably texting me asking if the volunteers got it right," Carter said.

The score surprised Lewis.

"It's very impressive," said Lewis, who shot a six-under-par 66 today after her first round two-under-par 70. "It's a hard golf course. You can make a double (bogey) pretty quick."

Carter played in two of the first five tournaments on the LPGA schedule, tying for 28th and 67th, because her exempt status only allows her to play in tournaments with the full 144-player fields.

Because last week's tournament, the JTBC Founders Cup, limits its field to 132 players, Carter played in her third Symetra Tour event since her last LPGA event, last month's ISPS Handa Australian Women's Open.

Carter said she used her time on the LPGA's official qualifying tour to work "a little bit on my tempo with my driver, a couple of putting foundation stuff."

Uribe fell to a two-way tie for fifth, four shots behind Carter, following a one-under-par 71.

"I played pretty good today, just didn't get the ball rolling where I wanted," Uribe said.

Creamer, the other co-leader following the first round, is one shot behind Uribe at five-under for the tournament.

The field was reduced to 76 players. Defending champion Beatriz Recari missed the cut by one shot at three-over-par 147.

—City News Service


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