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Sports

Pressel joins Mirim Lee in Kia Classic lead

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Carlsbad, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Morgan Pressel fired an 8-under 64 in the second round Friday and joined Mirim Lee in the lead at the Kia Classic.

Pressel, who matched the course record, ended 36 holes at 10-under-par 134. Lee, the first-round leader, posted a 3-under 69 to tie Pressel at minus-10.

Alison Lee (66) and Cristie Kerr (68) share third place at minus-9 at Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Club.

Maria Hernandez also carded a 66 to move into a tie for fifth at 8-under-par 136. She stands alongside Sakura Yokomine (67), Hyo Joo Kim (68) and Brittany Lang (68).

World No. 1 Lydia Ko managed a 2-under 70 for her 26th straight under-par round. She was joined in ninth at minus-7 by world No. 3 Stacy Lewis (69) and Alison Walshe (67).

Pressel played the back nine first on Friday and opened with a birdie on the par-5 10th. She moved to minus-4 with a birdie on the 13th. After three pars in a row, Pressel caught fire thanks to a birdie on No. 17.

The 2007 Kraft Nabisco champion followed with birdies at the 18th and first. Pressel made it five birdies in six holes with gains on the third and fourth.

After three more pars, Pressel birdied the eighth before closing with a par on the ninth. Her 64 matched the course record that Dori Carter set last year.

"It was kind of stress-free golf out there today, so it was nice. I had a lot opportunities, and still, even with eight birdies, opportunities that I left out there, I missed or lipped out," Pressel stated. "But I just played really, really solidly out there. I'm happy with the result."

Mirim Lee started on the first tee at the same time Pressel was teeing off the 10th. Lee faltered to a bogey on the par-3 third, but came right back with birdies at four and five.

At the seventh, the two-time LPGA Tour winner tripped to another bogey. She quickly atoned for that mistake with a birdie on the par-5 eighth.

Around the turn, Lee moved to 9-under with a birdie at the 11th. Lee ran off three straight pars from the 12th before dropping her third shot of the round.

Lee followed that bogey with birdies at 16 and 17 to grab a share of the lead.

NOTES: Pressel's 64 matched her career low on the LPGA Tour. It was the fifth time she carded that score ... Katherine Kirk had a hole-in-one on the par-3 third .... Inbee Park could take over the top spot in the world rankings with a win and Ko finishing in a 4-way tie for second or worse ... The cut line fell at 1-under-par 143 with 75 players making it to the weekend ... Among those that missed the cut were Kirk, Suzann Pettersen, Natalie Gulbis, Ariya Jutanugarn and Cheyenne Woods.