Leona Maguire made three birdies in a one-under 71 to remain in contention for her maiden LPGA win in the LPGA Drive On Championship at Golden Ocala in Florida.

The Slieve Russell star (26) remained tied for sixth on four-under, just six shots behind Jennifer Kupcho and Austin Ernst who shot 67’s to lead by two strokes on 10-under from Spain’s Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, who shot 65. 

Stephanie Meadow had a tough day with her irons and carded a three-over 75 to slip back to tied 56th on two-over. Scores

While Kupcho managed a bogey-free performance in round one, Ernst was the one to return the favour in Marion County.

“Fairways were a little more bouncy this afternoon so had a few more wedges in,” said Ernst, who hit 15 greens. “With how firm the greens are, you really have to take advantage if you get quite a few wedge opportunities. I have driven it well, too.”

Even with one bogey on the card, Kupcho was just grateful a migraine did not rear its ugly head and that she made it around 18 holes pain-free on Friday.

“Felt a lot better today. Yesterday was pretty rough,” said Kupcho, who recorded six birdies. “I’ve been in contention out here before, so just go out, relax and have fun. I think especially with my new caddie [Patrick Smith] this year we do a good job of having fun and relaxing. I think it’ll be a fun weekend.”

Ciganda fired the round of the day with a bogey-free, 7-under par 65 out of the morning wave. It is no coincidence that she is finding success with a familiar face back on the bag in Terry McNamara, the long-time caddie for LPGA Tour legend and World Golf Hall of Fame member Annika Sorenstam. 

“We had a great four years together and with COVID last year, I think he wanted to take a little break,” said Ciganda, who is 8-under overall. “I always enjoy working with him. He’s very peaceful, experienced, very calm. That is what I need on the course.”

Last week’s Gainbridge LPGA champion Nelly Korda is solo fourth at -7 following a steady 2-under 70 on day two, highlighted by three birdies. Rounding out the top-five is 2019 Symetra Tour graduate Jenny Coleman. The University of Colorado alumna carded a 3-under 69 to reach -5 overall.

“The biggest part of this golf course is the greens,” Korda said. “There have been lower scores in the morning because they’re fresh and they do get bumpy in the afternoon. Greens are playing a big part in the scores, so just going to stay positive. Everyone is going to be playing through weather [tomorrow].”

Five players are tied for sixth at -4 including 2020/21 LPGA Tour rookies Patty Tavatanakit and Leona Maguire. A total of 71 players made the cut of +2 including the LPGA Drive On Championship—Inverness winner Danielle Kang (-2) and the LPGA Drive On Championship—Reynolds Lake Oconee champion Ally Ewing (E).

EXPERIENCED ERNST READY FOR NEW ROAD
Few things focus the mind and heighten the senses like a treacherous road never travelled, even if you’ve driven down curling paths before.

Austin Ernst has won twice in her eight-year career on the LPGA Tour. She will almost certainly pass the four-million-dollar mark in career earnings by the summer. And she has hit quality shots under pressure on a winning U.S. Solheim Cup team. As pressure situations go, she’s been there, plenty. But there is one road Ernst has never travelled. She has never led or shared the lead after the second round of an LPGA Tour event. She’s only led after the third round once, and that was because one of her victories, the 2020 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, was a 54-hole event.

“Actually, I didn’t know that,” Ernst said with a big smile after shooting her second consecutive 67. “But I think it's the same (approach) that I took from yesterday going into today. Obviously, I started today with a lead and I saw Carlota (Ciganda) shot 7-under (65) so you knew there were birdies out there.”

She made five birdies with no bogeys on Friday, relying on exceptional ball-striking. In her shot-by-shot recap of the round, the birdie putts she listed ranged in length from two to 20 feet. Nothing longer.

“Probably made two putts over 25 feet yesterday and today, couldn't quite get the putter working early,” she said. “But I had a lot of really good looks inside 15 feet. I hit good putts and my speed was good all day. So, I had a lot of easy pars. It's nice when you give yourself a lot of good looks and come away making a few of them.”

Ernst has a good feel for this golf course. It fits her eye. The two years that the Coates Championship was held at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, she finished 13th and 9th. She’s only gotten better since then.

“Pretty much every hole I hit it close, I hit a wedge of some sort,” she said of her course management. “So, you really kind of need to be aggressive off the tee to be able to get those numbers. Then you kind of know there are some holes that it's just so hard to hold the green. Some of the par-3s, No. 11, for example, with the pin in the middle was almost impossible to get it to stay on the green.

“When I knew I didn't have a good number or a full number or as much green to work with, I placed it in a good spot just over the green or on the right side of the green, a place where I still had a look at birdie and I didn't have to work very hard.”

That is veteran Friday play, view the wedges as your scoring clubs, avoid big numbers and leave yourself a lot of stress-free pars.

To read the full story from Steve Eubanks on LPGA.com, visit:
https://www.lpga.com/news/2021/experienced-ernst-ready-for-new-road

EARLY WAKE-UP CALL JOLTS SLEEPY CIGANDA TO 7-UNDER 65
She is the first to admit that she is not an early riser and when her alarm went off this morning at 5 a.m. ET, Carlota Ciganda would normally want to press snooze. But today was different.

“I’m Spanish, so Spanish people like to sleep in and start the day a little later than a 7:38 tee time,” said Ciganda, who hit 16 greens en route to a bogey-free, 7-under 65. “Just have to do what you have to do. I was pretty awake today. Had a nice dinner, slept good and was ready to go.”

To add the relaxed state of play for Ciganda, she was paired with Dame Laura Davies. She not only looks up to the four-time major champion and 20-time winner as a professional but admires Davies’ creativity.

“I love playing with her. Her talent is unbelievable, like everything she does with her different shots. Lots of imagination,” Ciganda said. “I think she can hit shots no one out here can hit, so I have a lot of respect and I think she’s just so good for the Tour. She shot 3-under, no bogeys. It’s just pure talent.”

CHEYENNE KNIGHT AVOIDS WINTER STORM IN TEXAS TO STAY SHARP IN PHOENIX
Making her third cut in three events to start the 2021 LPGA Tour season, Cheyenne Knight shot -2 on Friday at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club. She might have experienced different luck if not for narrowly missing the winter storm that swept through Texas in late February to head West to practice.

“I saw the terrible weather coming and I was going to go out to Scottsdale to see my short game coach Stan Utley to begin with, so I just left a few days early and hung out with one of my former teammates, [2020 Symetra Tour graduate] Janie Jackson,” said Knight, who is tied for 11th at -3. “Got to go out to Silverleaf Country Club. That was my first time being out there, so it was amazing because I wouldn't have had an opportunity to practice at home if I stayed there, no indoor [facilities] or anything.”

Not only was getting to practice helpful for Knight’s game but seeing Utley who she has known since she was 12 also played an integral role.

“The last time I saw him was in 2019 right before the Founders,” said Knight. “We just cleaned up some stuff and just shallowing out my chipping motion, and with my putting just kind of like some setup up stuff. It was good to see him.”

PLAYERS PAY TRIBUTE TO GOLDEN OCALA’S EIGHT TRIBUTE HOLES
Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, site of the LPGA Drive On Championship presented by Volvik, features eight tribute holes, replicas of well-known holes from historic courses around the world. They include No. 4 (the “Postage Stamp” at Royal Troon, No. 8), No. 5 (Muirfield No. 9), No. 6 (Augusta National No. 16), No. 11 (Augusta National No. 12), No. 12 (Augusta National No. 13), No. 13 (Old Course at St. Andrews No. 17), No. 14 (Old Course at St. Andrews No. 1) and No. 15 (Baltusrol No 4). LPGA Tour players find them enjoyable because of how familiar they feel.

“The Postage Stamp, it was actually really funny,” Korda said of the Royal Troon tribute par-3. “We played (Troon) last year. I did not hit that green once at (AIG Women’s Open) and was probably in every bunker possible.

“I've never actually really been out to Augusta and I've never played St. Andrews,” Korda said. “Someday I'll go to those golf courses and be like, ‘Oh, this is a replica of Ocala.’”

Laura Davies’ favourite was the 11th, a near-perfect design replica of the par-3 12th at Augusta National, sans the bentgrass greens and Augusta Country Club in the background.

“I think 11 for us, the 12th at Augusta, it's so lifelike,” Davies said. “I've only stood on it once playing. I've stood there many a time watching the guys, but it is so similar it's frightening. It's very frightening actually.”

Co-leader Austin Ernst, tied for first along with American Tour player Jennifer Kupcho, said of the holes, “They did a really good job with a few of them. This is my third time coming here, but think 11 and 12 out here, which are 12 and 13 at Augusta, I've never played Augusta, but they at least look like it. I've asked a couple of girls that played the Augusta National Women's Amateur and they said the only difference is 13 at Augusta, the green's a little bit more severe than 12 here.”

Kupcho was one of those women who played at Augusta National. Posting back-to-back 67’s, Kupcho found herself feeling slightly different than the other players.

“They are very similar (to the originals) and the look is definitely very similar,” Kupcho said. “But I think I'm more nervous playing them now than I was (playing the originals) back then.”

Rolex Rankings No. 21 Jennifer Kupcho (67-67)

• Kupcho hit nine of 14 fairways and 15 greens in regulation, with 28 putts

• Her 36-hole total 134 is the second-lowest of her career; she carded a 133 at the 2019 Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana

• Kupcho is in her third season on the LPGA Tour and owns a career-best result of runner-up at the 2020 ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer

• This is Kupcho’s second event of the 2021 LPGA Tour season; she captured a T21 finish at the second annual Gainbridge LPGA

• She won the 2020 Colorado Women’s Open

• In 2019, Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur

• She turned professional in 2019 and made her pro debut at the U.S. Women’s Open that year; she deferred LPGA Tour membership after 2018 LPGA Q-Series so she could finish her senior year at Wake Forest University

Rolex Rankings No. 33 Austin Ernst (67-67)

• Ernst hit nine of 14 fairways and 15 greens in regulation, with 28 putts

• This is the first time in her career that Ernst has held or shared the lead after 36 holes

• This is Ernst’s third event of the 2021 season; her best finish so far was T17 at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America

• Ernst is in her ninth season on the LPGA Tour; she has two career wins at the 2014 Cambia Portland Classic and 2020 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship pres. by P&G

• She was a member of Team USA at the 2017 Solheim Cup with a 2-2-0 overall record

• Won the 2011 NCAA Championship individual title at LSU; graduated in 2014 with a degree in Business Management

• Hosts the annual Austin Ernst Charity Pro-Am event to benefit Safe Harbor, a domestic violence shelter