YANG MOVES ONE CLEAR AT WINDY ORIENT MASTERS

　　August 9, 2007

　　Shanghai: China’s Yang Taoli opened up a one-stroke lead during the second round of the US$50,000 Orient Masters Shanghai today as high winds associated with Typhoon Pabuk took its toll on the field at Orient Golf and Sports Club.

　　With the wind picking up towards mid-day, Yang held steady in the difficult conditions to shoot a four-over 76 just ahead of Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (75). Through two rounds, the Sichuan native is an aggregate four-over 148.

　　Thailand’s Porani Chutichai, the overnight co-leader with Yang, was two off the pace after struggling to a 78. Guangdong amateur Zhou Xiaoxuan was alone in fourth place after a 76. Compatriot Wang Chun (78) was four behind, followed by Thailand’s Tiranan Yoopan (77) one shot further back.

　　Yang, the former national team player and overnight co-leader, held steady under the windy conditions through 17 holes when she built up a three-stroke lead on Pornanong. However, she unraveled on the final hole to finish with a double-bogey seven.

　　“It was strange at the 18th because my second shot hit the water. My drive was very good but on my second shot I pulled it left and paid for it,” said the 24-year-old Chengdu native who is in search of her first professional win.

　　“Tonight I will just go back to the hotel and try not to think too much about winning. I have had too many runner-up finishes in professional and amateur tournaments. During those times I thought about it too much and couldn’t sleep before the final round. Now I have a peaceful mind.”

　　Pornanong, who had the low round of the day, could have had a share of the lead if it were not for a late bogey on the 17th hole.

　　“My front nine was very good and I was very happy with it, but on the back nine the wind was very strong so I couldn’t control my shots very well,” said the 17-year-old who will attend the LPGA Tour qualifying school next month.

　　“It was also hard to keep your body stable (in the wind) and this affected my shots. I had a lot shots land in the rough or on the edge of the green and it all came down to trying to maintain stability.

　　“Tomorrow I will be more aggressive and try to be calm at the same time. Even though the wind is supposed to get stronger I need to concentrate on my game and try to win.”

　　Porani, the winner of the Orient Masters Tour’s Beijing leg in June, expressed surprise to be two shots off the lead after what she described as a poor round.

　　“My driving was my problem today. It started going off on the eighth hole and I ended up taking five bogeys in a row. I was also struggling on the greens so it was hard to recover,” said the Chiang Rai native.

　　“Tomorrow I just need to go for the fairways and if so, I can think about the course and the type of shots I will need to get to the greens. I am only two shots back so I have a chance.”

　　The Orient Masters Shanghai is a China Golf Association-sanctioned event.

　　Orient Golf and Sports Club Shanghai is a par-72, 6,505 yard layout designed by T.K. Pen in Shanghai’s southwestern Songjiang District.

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　　Frank Lu at lukephone@sina.com

　　Phone: (86) 13990014242

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　　Orient Masters Shanghai second round leading scores

　　148: Yang Taoli (CHN) 72-76

　　149: Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 74-75

　　150: Porani Chutichai (THA) 72-78

　　151: Zhou Xiaoxuan (CHN) (A) 75-76

　　152: Wang Chun (CHN) 74-78

　　152: Tiranan Yoopan (THA) 76-77

　　154: Zhang Lichun (CHN) 76-78, Lu Guanzhi (TPE) 73-81

　　155: Ye Liying (CHN) 78-77, Yang Hongmei (CHN) 78-77

　　156: Tan Lingling (CHN) 79-77, Hu Ling (CHN) 76-80

　　157: Shen Yanhua (CHN) 38-37