Meadow battles to make cut as Kim extends lead

Stephanie Meadow will spend her weekend golfing in California after she battled to make the halfway cut at the LA Championship.

Meadow carded back-to-back rounds of 72 to sneak her way into the top-61 on the number at two-over-par at Wilshire Country Club.

The Jordanstown native has had just one birdie in 36 holes, coming on the par-5 13th in her second round while she dropped shots at the 12th and 18th.

After opening with a bogey on Thursday and carding seventeen successive pars, Meadow extended her par run to 28 holes.

At two-over she is a distant fourteen shots adrift of Grace Kim who shot a 66 to extend her lead from one to four shots as she chases her second LPGA Tour win.

Kim had an eagle, four birdies and a bogey and the Aussie was pleased with how she kept her patience on the bumpy greens.

“I think the less thoughts, the better,” Kim said. “Obviously, during the afternoon round today, we’ve got poa annua greens so just have to stay patient with them. You can kind of see how it can get bumpy, so working with the course and not getting too wrapped up around putts not going in.

“I think I’ve got to breathe a little bit,” she said. “I did get a little bit nervous on my back nine, so making sure I don’t rush too much and just staying in the present.”

Maja Stark is second after a 69, as the Swede continued her fine form after coming second at the Chevron Championship last week.

“I feel like maybe not taking everything so personal because they are a little bit wobbly.” Stark said. “Especially late. Like the whole day pretty much the ball has been wobbling because there has been so many people walking on it.”