Soo Bin Joo thrives in the wind, builds four-shot lead in the ShopRite LPGA

GALLOWAY, N.J. — Soo Bin Joo thrived in a raging wind off the Atlantic Ocean inlets Saturday for a 3-under 68, closing with a long two-putt birdie on the 18th hole and watching her lead to grow to four shots by the end of a taxing day at the ShopRite LPGA.

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Joo, whose only professional win was on the Epson Tour two years ago, finished two different rounds at Seaview Hotel at 8-under 134.

“I was barely making pars on the golf course today, and yesterday was like going for birdies on every single hole,” Joo said. “So different game plan and a different mindset. I think that put me in a good position today.”

Japanese twins Chizzy and Aki Iwai each scratched out a 68 and were in the group of players four shots behind that included Celine Boutier of France (72), Somi Lee of South Korea (69), and Israeli player Laetitia Beck, who started with a one-shot lead and tumbled to a 75,

“Today was extremely windy, so definitely was much harder to judge club selections, and putts were also much harder,” Beck said. “That’s where I pretty much struggled today. I didn’t make putts.”

That’s wasn’t a problem for Joo, who took only 25 putts. She dropped only one shot, on the opening hole, and wondered if it was a sign of what was to come.

“I almost shank my 3-wood on the first tee. I mean, it looked way bad because of the wind,” Joo said. “I knew that it was going to play as a different golf course, like a totally different golf course comparing to yesterday, so I was trying to stay mentally calm and also physically calm, too.”

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The wind not only made some of the holes on the Bay course play longer, even the holes with a helping wind were difficult in trying to judge the distance.

Eight players failed to break 80, while 11 players broke 70, most of them in the morning before the wind began to strengthen.

Charley Hull, at No. 7 the only player from the top 10 in the world, followed a 74 with a 75 and missed the cut. The ShopRite LPGA is one of two LPGA tournaments played over 54 holes.

This field is on the weaker side mainly because of scheduling. The New Jersey tournament is a week before the US Women’s Open across the country at Riviera in Los Angeles.

The cut came at 3-over 145.

Joo is the No. 252 player in the world, with her best success coming in the fall when she is trying to get back a full card. Now she has a four-shot lead as she goes for her first LPGA title.

“I started playing golf because I want to win a tournament on LPGA, so it will be super fun, very exciting,” she said. “But right now I just want to get a hot shower. So cold, yeah. Freezing.”

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