ISPS HANDA WOMEN'S AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Second Round Notes and Statistics

ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open

Kooyonga Golf Club, Adelaide, South Australia

Feb. 16, 2018

LEADERBOARD

1, -10 (134) – Jin Young Ko, Rolex Rankings No. 20

2, -7 (137) – Emma Talley, Rolex Rankings No. 354

3, -6 (138) – Jiyai Shin, Rolex Rankings No. 23

3, -6 (138) – Sun Young Yoo, Rolex Rankings No. 127

Quote Sheet attached with quotes from: Ha Na Jang, Jin Young Ko, Emma Talley, Jiyai Shin, Mo Martin and Sun Young Yoo.

KO DOMINATES FIELD, LEADS BY 3

For a second consecutive day, Jin Young Ko ruled Kooyonga, and the South Korean superstar has a three-shot buffer over the rest of the field at the halfway point of the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.

Ko, 22, went out in the gorgeous early morning conditions in Adelaide and carded a three-under par 69 to go with her dazzling, first-round 65, and at 10-under, she sat back and watched the afternoon players flailing in the sea breeze.

None of them could catch her.

The closest at seven-under is American LPGA Tour rookie Emma Talley, who had a 69 today, also taking advantage of the breathless morning conditions and wedged between the mighty Koreans.

Two major winners out of the Seoul factory line, Jiyai Shin, who momentarily held the lead when she birdied the first three holes today, and Sun Young Yoo are tied-third at six-under par.

Read a full round recap by Golf Australia’s Martin Blake here: http://www.golf.org.au/newsdisplay/wrap-ko-dominates-open-field/99693

THE BEST IS YET TO COME FOR MO MARTIN

Mo Martin hasn’t found herself in the winner’s circle since her breakthrough major championship at the 2014 Ricoh Women’s British Open, but change may be on the horizon. Through two rounds at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, Martin sits six shots back from the lead in a tie for sixth.

Martin hinted at making some “really big breakthroughs” this offseason while working with her coaches: Ian Triggs and Jamie Mulligan. Triggs was in Australia working with Martin on some final tuneups this week as well.

When asked what breakthroughs fans may see on the course this year, Martin said coyly: “I just really feel like my best golf is ahead of me, so it’s a fun spot to be in.  I’ve got a great caddie, I’ve got a great team and feeling like the best is yet to come; it’s really special.”

Martin’s 2018 season is already off to a great start as she secured a top-20 finish at the season-opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic and is tied for sixth heading into the weekend in Adelaide.

YOO MAKES COACHING CHANGE

Sun Young Yoo is going back to what works. Yoo, who is at 6-under through two rounds at the ISPS Women’s Australian Open, said Friday she’s gone back to the coach – Andrew Park – she was using when she won the 2012 ANA Inspiration, her lone major title.

“I had some bad years the last couple of years, but everybody goes through ups and downs. My game started coming back again, so I’m feeling pretty good and I’m back with my old coach again, so I’m very confident and excited,” she said.

“I knew I had to go back and fix a couple of things, and making major changes, just a little bit on little things, so I’m feeling pretty good.”

Yoo shot a 2-under-par 70 on Friday and is tied for third with Jiyai Shin.

Read more of Adam Stanley’s ‘Five Things to Know’ here:  http://www.lpga.com/news/2018-five-things-second-round-isps-handa-womens-australian-open

NOTABLE AND QUOTABLE

Jin Young Ko, Republic of Korea (134, -10)

“I had wire to wire one [win] before so I know how can I do, so yeah.”

Emma Talley, USA (137, -7)

“It’s a long year and someone said it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and so I’m just trying to stay patient and get better every week.”

Mo Martin, USA (140, -4)

“I see that the lead position has kind of slipped away forward, but you never know, two more days and I’m just going to control what I can control and enjoy the game here. I’m going to enjoy my food, my bread, my desserts, the people, everybody’s sense of humour here.”

AUSSIE ROUNDUP

This week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open features 14 Aussies: Rebecca Artis, Ellen Davies-Graham, Karis Davidson (a), Hannah Green, Whitney Hillier, Sarah Kemp, Grace Kim (a), Katherine Kirk, Minjee Lee, Stephanie Na, Su Oh, Alexandra Orchard, Sarah Jane Smith and Karrie Webb.

Five Aussies made the cut and will be playing the weekend, led by Minjee Lee and Stephanie Na at 2-under par.

“If you play smart golf, you’ll be doing alright around here,” Lee said of the Kooyonga Golf Course. “Sometimes you just have to take your medicine and take your pars. It [the course] has a really good mixture of birdie holes, a couple of the par-5s and obviously some short holes, just take your medicine when you have to and obviously be aggressive on those short holes. “

OF NOTE

While Jin Young Ko (-10) has won on the KLPGA Tour in wire-to-wire fashion, this is the first time she’s held the lead on the LPGA heading into the third round. Her 36-hole score of 10-under par 134 is also a career-best mark for her in LPGA competition.

Ko’s last three LPGA starts are: T15 (2017 U.S. Women’s Open), Win (2017 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship), T16 (2017 CME Group Tour Championship).

Making her 11th career LPGA start, Emma Talley’s 36-hole score of 7-under par 137 bests her previous career low by five strokes. In her first start at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, her first-round score of 68 was her lowest career-round.

Talley’s caddie this week is a local amateur golfer, Jackson Kalz, one of the top junior golfers in Australia and winner of the 2017 Victorian Junior Masters.

As a rookie in 2017, Nasa Hataoka (-5) made eight cuts in 19 starts causing her to go back to LPGA Qualifying School, where she subsequently earned medalist honors to secure her LPGA status for 2018.

Rolex Rankings No. 11 Hye Jin Choi (-4) made headlines last season as she took second place as an amateur at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open; she quickly turned professional following that event and went on to finish T14 at both The Evian Championship and the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship.

Jiyai Shin (-6) is making her seventh career start at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open (she made three starts prior to it becoming an LPGA event in 2012). In her previous six starts, her results are: T28 (2016), Win (2013), 18 (2012), T2 (2011), 2 (2008), 6 (2007).

Sun Young Yoo’s 36-hole score of -6 (138) ties her best mark since she carded 135 at the 2017 Manulife LPGA Classic in June. In Yoo’s two previous starts at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open she finished T64 (2017) and missed the cut in 2012.

Mo Martin’s (-4) made six prior starts at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, with a career-best T24 back in 2012.

Martin heads into round three tied for sixth; the first time she has been inside the top 10 heading into the weekend since she was in second through two rounds at the CP Women’s Open, she went on to finish T8.

17 2018 LPGA rookies started the week in Adelaide; 11 will go on to play the weekend led by the 36-hole leader Ko and second place Talley.

TV TIMES

Saturday, Feb. 16: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. ET, Golf Channel

Sunday, Feb. 17: 9 p.m.-2 a.m. ET, Golf Channel

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES AND HASHTAGS

@WomensAusOpen, #WomensAusOpen, #expectbrilliance

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS

54 holes: 202 (-14), Jiyai Shin, 2013

72 holes: 272 (-16), Haru Nomura, 2016