Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and Americans Cristie Kerr and Jean Reynolds moved into a tie for the lead without playing a hole as first-round leader Choi Na-yeon of South Korea slid back at the US Women's Open on Friday. Par remained elusive at the long Saucon Valley Old Course as Choi could attest after starting the second round with bogeys on the first two holes after carrying in a one-stroke lead after opening with three-under-par 68. The 21-year-old Choi lost another shot to par the rest of the way to post a three-over 74 on the 6,740-yard layout whose fast, sloping greens baked under bright sunshine for the morning starters. Choi stood at level-par 142, elevating world number one Ochoa, 2007 champion Kerr and Futures Tour player Reynolds to top of the leaderboard as the afternoon wave set out. “I think I was a little nervous coming in as the leader,” Choi, seeking her first major title, told reporters. “I think I placed a lot of pressure on myself.” The 78 starters in the morning produced just two sub-par rounds. Only five players bettered par in the first round. Australian Lindsey Wright posted a one-under-par 70 to head into the clubhouse two strokes off the pace with a 144 total. Teresa Lu of Taiwan, 21, fired a two-under 69 for 145. “I'm really happy with the way I played today,” said Wright, who overcame a “terrible” tee shot on the 210-yard, par-three ninth hole that dunked into Saucon Creek. Joining Wright on 144, were Japan's Yuri Fudoh, who shot level-par 71, and Alexis Thompson, a 14-year-old amateur playing in her third US Open. Thompson, who became the youngest Open qualifier at age 12 in 2007, assured herself of advancing to weekend play for the first time by adding a 73 to her opening 71. The precocious Floridian had stood at one over par for the tournament before she recorded a double-bogey at the par-five sixth hole where she drove into the rough and flubbed a chip shot from off the green. Thompson bounced back on the next hole with a 15-foot birdie putt. Goosen takes charge In Scotland, Retief Goosen served notice that he remains a serious contender in the upper echelons of world golf with a stunning 63 to claim the halfway lead at the Scottish Open on Friday. The South African's eight-under-par round was within a shot of his own course record at Loch Lomond and left him two shots clear of a chasing pack headed by revitalized Australian Adam Scott, who impressed watching girlfriend Ana Ivanovic by adding a 67 to his opening 66. A shot further back, at eight under, were Australian Marcus Fraser (66) and Germany's Martin Kaymer (65), although arguably the performance of the day came from Lee Westwood. The Englishman had felt so ill on Thursday with a chest infection that he considered withdrawing. But he bounced back from an opening 73 with a 66 to comfortably make the weekend cut at three under for the tournament. Like Ernie Els, who registered a second 69 to leave him seven shots behind the pace set by his compatriot, Goosen, who turned 40 in February, has had to contend with questions about his appetite for the game of late. But he insists that he is a long way from being finished.
