NORTON — It’s not every day a golfer shoots a 10-under par, much less card a round that’s bogey-free at the challenging TPC Boston course.
But South Korea’s Haeran Ryu did the trick. She was lights out on Day 2 of the FM Championship.
What was her secret? What did she have for dinner to prep for her early-morning round?
“Lobster roll,” Ryu told MassLive via her interpreter. “It was really good. The first one I’ve had in Boston.”
Ryu said she had the lobster hot – not cold – in a toasted roll. It was part of the fare at the LPGA players dinner party.
Was she superstitious? Might Ryu, who held the lead at 13-under after two rounds, have lobster roll again Friday night to keep her good mojo going?
Her interpreter said Ryu wasn’t superstitious. But then Ryu added: “But since you mention it, I feel like I need to have lobster roll again tonight.”
Six birdies help Robyn Choi to a tie for second place — After bogeying twice on the front nine, Choi settled down and had six birdies at the end of the round.
“I don’t know if it was a little bit of nerves or what it was. I was a little shaky but recovered,” she said Friday. Then I think I just tried to kind of take it one at a time. First birdie came out on the par-5, so that was good. And I was just making a lot of putts today.
“I think that really kind of showed in my front nine. Just played consistent,” Choi added. “Grabbed the opportunities when I could.”
Lexi Thompson finishes 3-under — Despite a bogey and a double bogey on the front nine, Thompson finished day strong.
Locals Day 1 finishes, Day 3 starts — Four players with local ties competed in the event. Here’s how they did.
Megan Khang — The Rockland native is tied for 12th after shooting 1-under, and is now 3-under for the tournament after Day 2.
You know, kind of start off with a bogey today and then go back-to-back birdie, birdie. It felt like a trend,” she said. “Every time I bogeyed, I birdied the next two. … I may have gotten a little frustrated on holes 3 and 4, but there is plenty of golf left. I knew coming in there were some gettable holes and just kind of keep giving myself chances. Instead of focusing on the bogeys I made I had to change the mindset to be like, ‘I hit some really good shots to make the birdies I did make on my front nine.’”
Alexa Pano — The 20-year-old from Westborough, who is sponsored by the Patriots, finished at 3-over par. She did not make the cut.
“It’s been a really fun week, fingers crossed it keeps going,” Pano said, not knowing if she had made the cut or not after she finished. “Either way, it’s still been pretty special.”
Xiyu Lin — The Chinese bronze medalist, who lives in Boston with her fiancé, did not make the cut after shooting 3-over.
Alison Walshe — The sponsor invitee from Westford did not make the cut after shooting 11-over through two days. Walshe shot 11-over par through two rounds and didn’t make the cut. While she wished she played better, just being able to participate in the tournament close to home was “a dream come true” for the local golfer.
“I won’t forget this,” Walshe told MassLive following the round. “I would have liked to have played better yesterday. I’m glad I played better today … but I’ll forever remember this. I’m really grateful to have had it happen.”
Walshe carded an 8-over-par 80 on Thursday, improving with a 3-over-par 75 on Friday.
“I’ve semi-retired,” Walshe said. “And to have the opportunity for FM to bring me back here to play in this event, and being a veteran of sorts and get to catch up with everybody and come back in a different light, it was almost better, in a sense, just to get to play here.
Round 3 begins Saturday at 7:30 a.m. EST.
- One Mass. local makes cut at FM Championship, three others miss
- 10-birdie barrage propels South Korean golfer to top of FM Championship leaderboard
- Westford golfer gets her wish answered in spades
- Golfers hoping FM Championship joins Boston’s blossoming women’s sports scene | Matt Vautour
- Boston’s food sold golfer on FM Championship, strong finish has her near lead (notebook)