Crowded Leaderboard Midway Through Canadian Womens Championship
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:40:42
Four players are tied for the lead at 2-under par with four more golfers, including defending champion Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, PEI just one shot off the pace.
The lead group includes hometown favourite Liz Earley along with Isabelle Beisiegel of St-Hilaire, PQ, Carrie Vaughan of Rothesay, NB and Laura Witvoet of Ponoka, Alberta. All four golfers carded rounds of 70 at the 6,188 yard, par 72 layout.
""The first nine holes, I wouldn't say I was nervous but I was overreading some putts,"" said Earley who has been a member at the St. Catharines Golf & Country Club for more than 20 years.
""I've played here so many times that I was actually reading a little bit too much into some of the putts but I settled down and played a very solid back nine.""
""This golf course is tough,"" said Vaughn. ""The greens are very slick and some of the pin placements were tricky so if you get on the wrong side of the hole, you're left with some tough putts.""
Beisiegel is gunning for her second win on the Bank of Montreal Canadian Women's tour this year. She won the opening event in Surrey, BC back in May.
It was a frustrating day for defending champion Lorie Kane who bogeyed the opening hole and had to fight back to finish at one-under par.
""I did get a little flustered out there,"" said Kane, winner of this championship five of the past six years. ""I didn't have a chance to build on any of the good things I did. I am happy with the way I finished though. I gave myself some chances. I was probably more aggressive finishing with my putts then I was with the first part of the round. I'm really looking forward to playing tomorrow.""
2002 marks the 6th consecutive year with Whirlpool Canada as title sponsor of the Championship. The 16th annual competition features the top Canadians on the professional golf tours, female club professionals from across the country and a select group of amateurs.
Total purse for the Whirlpool Canadian PGA Women's Championship is $65,000 with $13,000 and a complete set of premium Whirlpool appliances awarded to the champion.
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