MELBOURNE, Australia – Caroline Hedwall had a hole-in-one as part of a 7-under-par 65 that gave her a one-shot lead after Friday’s second round of the Women’s Australian Open.
Hedwall aced the par-3 16th and also eagled the par-5 eighth along with five birdies and two bogeys to reach 11-under 133, one shot ahead of world No. 2 Suzanne Pettersen.
Pettersen, who shot 66 to lead after the first round, had a 68 at Victoria Golf Club which included five birdies and one bogey. Australian amateur Minjee Lee was a further shot back at 9-under after a 67.
Hedwall said she wasn’t aware she had a hole-in-one at 16 until she reached the green.
“I couldn’t see it and the crowd didn’t want to yell because Laura (Davies) was hitting off on No. 17, so we walked up there and they were like, `it went in’,” Hedwall said.
“Yesterday I hit a full 7-iron over the green (for bogey at 16) and it was basically the same yardage today. So I hit a softer 7-iron. It covered the pin the whole way and I just saw it bounce once and hit the pin but I didn’t see it go in.”
Fellow Swede Anna Nordqvist had the round of the day with a 64 which set a new course record for women, and was tied for fourth at 8 under with Holly Clyburn and world No. 4 Lydia Ko.
Hedwall’s ace at 16 gave her the outright lead but she briefly lost it to Lee before her birdie-eagle-birdie finish.
“I’m driving pretty well,” Hedwall said. “I missed a couple of drives yesterday and today but I managed to save a couple of bogeys and I’m still making a lot of birdies and also eagles.”
The 17-year-old Lee, who was runner-up at last week’s Women’s Australian Masters, is vying again for a tournament victory after a second round which included an eagle and three birdies.
“It was such a slow start,” Lee said. “I started with nine pars. I was just patient and it came together late in the round.”
Last week’s winner, Cheyenne Woods, rallied to make the cut. She followed an opening 74 with a 7-under 65 to reach T-20, at 5 under.
