PINEHURST, N.C. -- Michelle Wie is becoming a regular contender in major championships, only now as an adult. She captivated womens golf as a teenager, contending in three straight LPGA Tour majors when she was 16. That was when she still was trying to compete against the men, when she didnt always look as if she was having fun and before injuries and criticism were a big part of her growing pains. On another tough day at Pinehurst No. 2, the 24-year-old from Hawaii held it together Friday with two key par putts and finished with back-to-back birdies for a 2-under 68, giving her a three-shot lead going into the weekend at the U.S. Womens Open. "I think you look at the way Michelle has played the last six months and you look at her differently," said Stacy Lewis, the No. 1 player in womens golf who was four shots out of the lead. "I think shes become one of the best ball-strikers on tour. She hits it really consistent. She knows where the balls going. And shes figuring out how to win. Thats the big thing." But theres a familiar name, and another teen prodigy, who joined Wie as the only players still under par. Lexi Thompson, who soundly beat Wie in the final round to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship for her first major title, powered her way out of the sand and weeds, running off three straight birdies to match Wies 68, the low score Friday. For all the interest in the men and women playing Pinehurst No. 2 in successive weeks, Wie and Thompson made the Womens Open more closely resemble the first LPGA major. Is it too early to start thinking rematch? "Definitely too early," Thompson said with a laugh. "Thirty-six holes in a major, thats a lot of golf to be played, especially at a U.S. Womens Open." For now, Wie had control. Her three-shot lead is the largest through 36 holes in the Womens Open in 11 years. She twice thought her shots were going off the turtleback greens, and twice she relied on her table-top putting stance to make long par saves. She finished with a 6-iron that set up a 12-foot birdie putt, and a 15-foot birdie on the par-5 ninth to reach 4-under 136. "End of the day yesterday, I was thinking if I just did this again, that would be nice," Wie said. "Finishing with two birdies is always great. Its a grind out there. Its not easy. Really grateful for the par putts that I made and some of the birdie putts that I made. I cant complain. Ill take it." Just when it looked as if this had the trappings of another runaway -- Martin Kaymer led by at least four shots over the final 48 holes to win the U.S. Open -- along came Thompson with a shot reminiscent of what Kaymer did last week. From the sand and bushes left of the fairway on the par-5 fifth hole, Thompson blasted a 5-iron from 195 yards just off the green, setting up two putts for birdie from about 60 feet. Kaymer was in roughly the same spot in the third round when he hit 7-iron from 202 yards to 5 feet, that pin position more toward the front. That was her third straight birdie, and she closed with four pars to reach 139. Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., and Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., each shot 73 to finish the second round in a tie for 14th place. Pinehurst No. 2 wasnt in much of a giving mood on another warm day in the North Carolina sandhills, with a brief shower in the middle of the afternoon that didnt do much to soften a dry, crusty golf course. Lewis, who opened with a bogey-free 67, picked up a bogey on her first hole in a wild round of six bogeys, three birdies and a tough 73. Even so, the two-time major champion managed to see the big picture. "I hung around, and thats what youve got to do at this tournament," said Lewis, at even-par with Amy Yang (69) and Minjee Lee, the 18-year-old amateur from Australia who played bogey-free on the back nine to salvage a 71. Lucy Li, the precocious 11-year-old and youngest qualifier in the history of the U.S. Womens Open, isnt leaving town until Monday. She just wont be playing any more golf. The sixth-grader from the Bay Area started with a double bogey for the second straight day and shot another 78 to miss the cut by seven shots. The cut was 9-over 149. Na Yeon Choi had a 70 and was at 1-over 141, followed by a Paula Creamer (72) at 2-over 142. The group at 143 included Karrie Webb (73) and So Yeon Ryu (74), who saved her hopes with three straight birdies on the front nine, and narrowly missing a fourth. All of them are former Womens Open champions. This is a different Wie they are chasing. She already has won this year in Hawaii, and she has eight top 10s and is No. 2 on the LPGA money list. Attribute that to a putting stroke that she owns, no matter how peculiar it looks with her back bent severely, almost parallel to the ground. And she has learned to play the shot -- she has a full allotment -- instead of worrying about her score or her position on the leaderboard. "I knew I could get better," Wie said. "I knew I could improve. But thats the game of golf. I think thats whats so fun about it. You work hard, you work hard, its a challenging game. You can never quite perfect it. I love working on my game. I love working on different shots. Just trying to get better every day. I never really lost a sense of determination or drive." Wholesale NFL Jerseys . Kane, who was leading Chicago in scoring when he was hurt in a game against St. Louis on March 19, resumed skating on his own five days ago. On Wednesday, he skated with his teammates for the first time in the hours before a game against Montreal. Cheap Jerseys . The Detroit Tigers turn to baseballs lone 20-game winner this season tonight as they try to leave Boston with a 2-0 edge over the Red Sox in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. http://www.cheapjerseysstitched.us.com/ . The French judge ruled there wasnt enough proof the men were aware that self-described escort Zahia Dehar, now 21, was a minor at the time. The case has been hanging over the players since July 2010, when a French judge issued preliminary charges against them. Cheap NHL Jerseys China . Ware, a world championship bronze medallist this past summer on three-metre, posted victories on 10m tower with 325.90 points on Saturday, and on the three-metre with 345.INDIANAPOLIS - Suzy Whaley is taking another crack at golfs old boys network.More than one decade after becoming the first woman to qualify for a PGA event in 58 years, the 48-year-old Whaley became the first female officer in the PGA of Americas history. Shes on course to become the organizations first female president in 2018, too.Whaley received 52.63 per cent of the 114 votes in a three-way race for secretary near the end of Saturdays meeting in Indianapolis. Russ Libby was second at 33.33 per cent and Michael Haywood was third at 14.04 per cent.As the final tally was posted on two video boards in the front of a hotel ballroom, Whaleys supporters pumped their fists, delegates gave her a standing ovation and Whaley hugged everybody in sight as she took a deliberate 5-minute stroll from the back of the room to one of two head tables.Its an incredibly special day for me, my family, the Connecticut section and our members, Whaley said. Our association has a long-term strategic plan and Im excited to part of implementing that plan. We have so many opportunities to bring diverse groups into the game, thats what Im excited about.The selection of Whaley, who in 2003 became the first woman to qualify for a mens event since Babe Zaharias, is just a start.She will serve the next two years as PGA secretary, then two years as vice-president before starting a two-year term as president and another two-year term as honorary president. Each promotion must be approved through a formal vote, which is usually considered a formality.For the PGA, its a chance to turn the page on one of the organizations darker chapters. President Ted Bishop was ousted last month after using social media to call European pro Ian Poulter a Lil Girl and writing that Poulter sounded like a little girl squealing during recess.Supporters made it clear thatt the association needed to go in a different direction and that choosing Whaley would help.ddddddddddddWho among is more passionate about the teaching the game to every person, to show the magic of our game to every child, to every man and to every woman? Connecticut section member Gary Reynolds said in his nominating speech. Sometimes we are lucky, lucky to experience a moment where we can embrace change.Voters didnt just want to embrace change, they wanted to embrace Whaley, a mother of two and the director of instruction at her own golf academy in Croswell, Connecticut. In 2010, the Farmington, Connecticut, resident became the second woman elected to the PGAs board of directors.But the historic vote drew raves from every corner of the room friends, supporters, board members, teaching pros and especially her new executive colleagues.Whaley was so touched that she forgot to insert her own name into the oath during the swearing-in ceremony.I am so proud to be a PGA member and so honoured to serve all of you, she said as her voice cracked.The selection of Whaley wasnt the only business Saturday.Voters approved Derek Sprague, of Malone, New York, to become the associations 39th president. They also voted to promote Paul Levy of Indian Wells, California, from secretary to vice-president. And they extended Allen Wronowskis term an additional two years. He will fill the void left by Bishops ouster.But it was the election of Whaley that could have the greatest long-term impact for an organization that has been mostly male-dominated that will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2016.I think its great to have a woman in a national leadership position because I think it opens the door for women in other leadership positions, Sprague said. It can only inspire other women to get into leadership positions. cheap nfl jerseys authentic jerseys nfl wholesale wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
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