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 Yani Tseng, photographed at Beaumont's Oak Valley Golf Club in 2008, has two career LPGA Tour wins (PHOTO: Eddie Meeks). When the 21-year-old Tseng joined the LPGA Tour in 2008, she was stationed in Beaumont, convenient to her home course of Oak Valley Golf Club and the instructors she worked with there — including short-game gurus Dave and Ronnie Stockton. Tseng still has a home in Beaumont, which is a little less than an hour away from Mission Hills, and has been staying there for the LPGA’s two-tournament stretch in Southern California. After struggling in last week’s Kia Classic at La Costa with a tie for 57th, the Taiwan native has rebounded nicely at the season’s first major, opening with 69-71 for a 4-under-par total and a share of seventh place heading to the weekend. She is three strokes behind leader Song-Hee Kim. “I just feel very relaxed here,” said Tseng, who has recorded ties for 17th and 21st in two previous Kraft appearances. “I didn’t do well last week, so when I came here I just told myself to have fun and enjoy it.” Her 71 in Friday’s second round didn’t exactly begin in enjoyable fashion, though. Bogeys on each of the first two holes were followed mundanely with four straight pars. But over the final 12 holes, she made four birdies against one bogey. “It was a very good comeback today, so I’m looking forward to the next two days,” Tseng said. Since winning the 2008 McDonald’s LPGA Championship in her rookie season, the world’s sixth-ranked player has recorded one other victory, last year’s LPGA Corning Classic. There have been plenty of close calls throughout her brief yet accomplished career, including 17 top-five finishes besides her two victories. Two of those came at the first two LPGA events of 2010, the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and the HSBC Women’s Champions. Since January, Tseng has been working with Orlando-based instructor Gary Gilchrist, who has helped high-profile LPGA stars like Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer in the past. “I think my swing’s getting better,” said Tseng. “It’s just little changes. But those little changes have made a big change. I feel very confident.” For a full leaderboard, visit lpga.com. Check back to Southland Golf all week for more coverage of the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Local Focus is an online-only weekly analysis of the PGA Tour and other national circuits from a Southern California perspective. ALSO SEE: Kim in front after two rounds of Kraft Nabisco Championship Pettersen leads by one stroke after first round of Kraft Nabisco Championship All you need to know: Kraft Nabisco Championship LPGA Tour kicks off 2010 season in Southern California Michael Whan off to a fast start as LPGA Tour commissioner |
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