Kraft Nabisco Championship: Austin Ernst scores 2-under 70 in the second round
Austin Ernst kept her cool in the second round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, firing a 2-under 70 to make the cut.
Ernst, who is a sophomore at LSU, kicked off the second round along with several other rookies.
She displayed a good performance, as she fired 7 birdies and improved her position on the leaderboard.
The weather conditions at the Mission Hills Country Club were perfect for the major championship, as strong winds swept through the course.
Ernst appeared to be full of confidence after she recorded her first birdie of the day on the 2nd hole.
Although thrilled by an early birdie, Ernst looked slightly nervous when she erroneously misjudged her putt on the par-4 3rd hole, recording a bogey.
The young star regained her composure after the first bogey, as she drained the second birdie of the round.
The Mission Hills is known for its tricky holes, which is offering players a little challenge. Ernst faltered on the difficult par-3 5th and scored yet another bogey.
The LSU sophomore did not appear to be confused after recording 2 bogeys. She then parred 4 consecutive holes to finish the front nine at 36.
On the back nine, Ernst stepped up efforts to boost her position on the leaderboard.
She scored 5 birdies and 3 bogeys to reach a 70 — a modest score to improve her overall standing.
Ernst looked devastated in the first round, as she could not perform according to her plans. She posted an unimpressive 77, which according to some analysts, was not enough to help her move forward.
She registered only one birdie, but marred the scorecard by shooting 4 bogeys and one double bogey.
The young star is playing the $2 million major championship on sponsor’s exemption. The field of the event is featuring LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) giants like the current world number one Yani Tseng and Paula Creamer.
Another rookie player Charley Hull, who also received an invitation to join the major championship, got off to a stunning start and proved her mettle.
Hull opened the first round with a 71, surprising her fans and officials.
The English teen grabbed the headlines after she was disallowed to represent the Great Britain & Ireland in the Curtis Cup, as she had already decided to play the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Tags: