For every round between 69 and 72, you'll need a round between 65 and 68 to balance it. For every round between 73 and 76, you'll need one between 61 and 64 to balance it (or two in the next higher category). Better to just avoid those higher ranges entirely.
Here are some players who understood whereof this mysterious yet no doubt humble medium of the golf gods spake:
Young Kim (-12, 1st place so far): With three straight top 20s in her last three events and $133K earned thus far this year (good enough for 30th on the money list), Kim is looking to join the ranks of the LPGA's best--she's always made a lot of cuts and a decent number of top 10s each year, but her top finish is only third. Playing bogey-free golf while making a bunch of birdies sounds like the right formula for a career-best finish--great 64 today! It's gotta feel wonderful to outplay your pairing--fellow honor-roller Paula Creamer (-10, 2nd place) and the always-dangerous Jeong Jang (-6, T15)--during the first two rounds, but what's important is what's to come....
Mi Hyun Kim (-9, 4th place): the favorite for the week (in the Mostly Harmless book, at least) shows why, setting the pace for the field (she finished a long time before the Kim-Creamer-Jang group did) with her second-straight sub-69 round, a 67.
Alena Sharp (-7, T7): from in danger of missing the cut to in contention, thanks to a 63 that offset her opening 74. (She's the anti-Charlotta Sorenstam, who failed to capitalize on her fantastic first round but went so low yesterday she could afford to today.)
Na On Min (-7, T7): a nice 67 today offset her Thursday 70, making her the top rookie in the clubhouse. Her closing 32 on the front was the low 9 of her short career, which bodes well for the weekend.
Kyeong Bae and Nina Reis (-6, T15): these Super Sophs in Waiting followed up lackluster 71s with solid 67s today, keeping themselves in the mix. Just wait till Bae puts together two good 9s in a row. The Mostly Harmless Crystal Ball is telling me she will contend this week--apparently she has a real low round in her for the weekend.
13 golfers in the afternoon pairings have a chance to join the Kims and Creamer in the sub-69 club (the only ones from the morning to get in). Beth Bader is the leader among them; her 33 on the back gets her to -10 already for the tournament (T2), with the easier front ahead of her. Among the rest, Pat Hurst, Laura Davies, Angela Park, Natalie Gulbis, and Sung Ah Yim have the hottest starts in the afternoon. The cut line looks like it could get as low as -2 or as high as E--Jimin Kang is the biggest name below it right now, although she does still have the front ahead of her. Moira is going to need to go low on the tougher back to make the cut--unlikely, at best, I'm sorry to say. On the bright side, Ai-chan is -6 through 28 and Seon Hwa Lee is tied with her after 26 (T15)--always fun to see them dueling in a tournament for the Super Soph lead. Plus In-Kyung Kim is -7 through 25, keeping pace with Na On Min and just ahead of a charging Angela Park, so the rookie race is heating up. Lots to see--I'll be back later!
[Update 1 (8:20 am): Additions to the Honor Roll: Beth Bader (66, -13, 1st place) and Jean Bartholomew (68, -8, T6), who bring the sub-69 club membership to 5 (from 23 yesterday). Becky Morgan (66, -9, T4), Natalie Gulbis (67, -8, T6), and Pat Hurst (66, -3, T44), who have a chance over the next two days to make up for earlier weekend collapses this year. Wendy Doolan (68, -7, T11) leads Lindsey Wright, Kate Golden, Maria Hjorth, and Vicki Goetze-Ackerman (all 68, -6, T18) who have joined the 43 players meeting my formula's minimum requirements for being in the mix for the weekend (although they all will need to go low twice to actually be in contention on the final 9). There are 74 golfers at -1 or better; with a few groups still out on the course and play suspended, it's unclear whether the cut line will stay there.]
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