Flushing’s Lindsey McPherson in the Mix at Michigan Women’s Open

 

Flushing’s Lindsey McPherson in the Mix at Michigan Women’s Open

THOMPSONVILLE – Lindsey McPherson, a second-year professional from Flushing, considers the Michigan Women’s Open at Crystal Mountain Resort a family reunion of sorts.

“It’s the only tournament all year where I have my grandma, grandpa, mom and my dad with me,” she said. “Even my dog came, so the whole family was here. We love Crystal Mountain and the Michigan Women’s Open.”

The family watched as McPherson, a former Michigan State standout now on the Symetra Tour, shot a 4-under-par 68 in the second round to stand at 5-under 139, just two shots off the lead of Hawaii’s Marissa Chow.

Chow whose last win was the West Coast Conference Championship in 2015 playing for Pepperdine University, also shot 68, but for 7-under 137 with a birdie-birdie finish to her round.

Recent Stanford University graduate, Casey Danielson of Osceola, Wis., shot 69 and was tied with McPherson in second at 139.

Sarah Hoffman of Saline, a Symetra Tour player, shot 72 and was among three golfers tied at 141, four shots off the lead. The others were pro Hannah Arnold of Lufkin, Texas, who shot 68, and 71-shooting amateur Jillian Hollis of Rocky River, Ohio, who plays college golf at the University of Georgia.

Kristin Coleman, a Symetra Tour player from Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., and the first round leader, shot 74 for 142.

Defending champion Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor, who shot 71, touring pro Liz Nagle of DeWitt, who shot 72, and pro Hailey Hrynewich of Norton Shores, who shot 71, were all part of the crowd at even par 144.

The 36-hole cut to the low 70 and ties fell at 155. The remaining 72 players will one more round Wednesday to determine the winner of the $40,000 open state championship.

McPherson, 24, said she was happy with her first two rounds in the tournament because she has been in what she called a mini-slump while playing on the Symetra Tour.

“Normally when I come here, I feel like I try to overpower the course, but the past couple of days I haven’t felt like I had a lot of power in my drives,” she said. “I was just kind of letting things happen, and I think that might be making a difference.”

McPherson has one top-10 finish on the Symetra Tour, and planned from the start of the year to play the three Symetra Tour events in Michigan as well as the Women’s Open.

“Really wouldn’t miss this,” she said. “I’m getting my footing on the Symetra Tour. I’m playing better this week. We’ll see where we go from here.”

Chow said she is not thinking about holding the lead.

“There’s plenty more golf out there,” she said. “You can always improve the next day, so I keep going for it, and keep grinding to the very end.”

She said she has focused on the beauty of Crystal Mountain and playing shot by shot.

“I’m staying in the present,” she said. “I can’t control anyone else. You do it, or you don’t. I do feel like my game is moving in the right direction.”

Danielson, who is playing in her first professional tournament, finished with the shot of the day, a 3-metal second shot to the par 5 No. 17 hole from 230 yards out.

“It was in a divot, so I just wanted it to go straight,” she said of the shot that ended up inside two feet from the hole. “It was a good finish to the round.

She has accepted a sponsor’s exemption to the LPGA Tour tournament (Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic) in Green Bay, Wis., next week.

“I played pretty steady, but I have more birdies in me,” she said. “I can’t remember the last thing I won. I had a lot of top 5s and top 10s this year in college. I never could quite get the win. Maybe I turn pro and that is where I win.”

RESULTS/TEE TIMES: Can be found at www.michiganpgagolf.com

via Greg Johnson