4 tied for LPGA lead as wind cranks up difficulty ‘tenfold’

Wind gusts blew away the afternoon wave of players at the LPGA T-Mobile Match Play on Thursday.

Nobody in the afternoon group broke par, leaving the leaderboard packed at the top as players strive to reach the top eight and earn a place in the weekend’s match play.

Rose Zhang held the lead most of the day, but a bogey-bogey finish that included a water ball on the 18th dropped her to a 1-over 73 and a four-way tie for the lead with Carlota Ciganda, Angel Yin and Sei Young Kim at 4 under at Shadow Creek.

“Shadow on its own is always a very difficult golf course and very easy to shoot over par here,” Zhang said. “With the wind, it makes it tenfold a lot harder.”

Winds blew consistently at 25 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, leaving carnage everywhere. There were 17 rounds in the 80s, including from top players Danielle Kang (83), Sarah Schmelzel (81), Anna Nordqvist (81) and Maria Fassi (85).

“I knew today was going to be a grind, and it proved to be,” said Zhang, a 20-year-old Las Vegas resident.

Ciganda had a bogey-free 67 and Yin a 68 in the calmer morning conditions. Ciganda’s round came without any birdies on any of the par 5s.

“I just love competing,” Ciganda said of why she plays difficult courses so well. “I think when I am out there I just fight, I just give everything, and I think sometimes that’s what you need. Just go out there, compete, and the game is there.”

Yin is happy to be competing at all. Las Vegas marks her first tournament of the season as she works her way back from a broken leg suffered in a fall in Europe in late November.

“I got to say it was pretty tough,” she said of walking two rounds on the hilly course.

She faces the prospect of four more rounds over the next three days, but she relishes the idea.

“I’m just happy to play,” said Yin, who hadn’t played a full 18 holes until last week, “No tournament next week, so I can rest all I want.”

One week after it took 5 under to make the cut at the Ford Championship outside Phoenix, Thursday’s cut at Shadow Creek was 9 over, the fifth-highest number in LPGA Tour history.

The mindset now switches for the third round. All that matters Friday is getting into the top eight to qualify for match play, and there are several big names lurking just below that number.

Brooke Henderson (Even, tied for ninth), Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko (1 over, T-13), and Nelly Korda and Celine Boutier (2 over, T-20) are among those easily within striking distance.

“I won’t watch the leaderboard for an awful lot tomorrow,” said Leona Maguire, who sits one shot back at 3 under. “I’m sure my caddie will keep an eye on it, as well as holes like 16 and 18. Coming down the stretch if there is something that needs to be done, it might change a decision.”

Ciganda expects to keep her foot on the gas no matter where she stands.

“Just going to stay aggressive, stay in the present,” she said. “It’s going to be a tough day.”

More wind is expected Friday, but this time it comes with a predicted temperature drop of more than 20 degrees.

Greg Robertson covers golf for the Review-Journal. Reach him at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.