Lydia Ko, Gerina Piller were good, Lexi Thompson was better!

Despite outstanding 2nd rounds, Lydia Ko and Gerina Piller couldn’t catch Lexi Thompson, who increased her lead at the Kingsmill Championship today.

Lydia Ko and Gerina Piller, who signed for a pair of 5-under 67s, were looking good in the second round of the LPGA Kingsmill Championship. But Lexi Thompson was better. Thompson delivered a second sizzling round today. She goes into the weekend with back-to-back 7-under par 65s and a three shot lead over Solheim Cup teammate Piller.

Thompson has clearly recovered her form, as we all hoped she would, after the devastating body blow she received at the ANA Inspiration. Her bogey-free round today – she remedied that 1st round bogey on the par-3 17th with a 2nd round birdie – further increased her lead over the chasing pack.

While her putting softened up a bit in her 2nd round on the River Course – Thompson needed 30 putts to make her way around the track today – she was longer off the tee and more accurate than she had been for her first round. It all balanced out to a pair of 65s. Thompson’s going into the weekend at 12-under par and with some breathing room between herself and Gerina Piller, who’s at 9-under. Ko and Candie Kung, at 8-under, are also threatening.

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With a pair of 67s for her first and second rounds, Lydia Ko is also playing very consistently at the Kingsmill Championship. Thompson’s only advantage over Ko, in terms of their playing stats, is her length. If it comes down to a putting contest between these two, the playoff could be interminable.

Piller, who continues her hunt for her first Tour victory, is going into the weekend with a good chance of claiming that long-sought after 1st victory. But the Kingsmill leaderboard tells only a part of the story. Piller needs to get her short game and her putting game dialed in. From inside 100 yards, Ko is going to glide right past her.

Other 2nd round notables

Rookies Mariah Stackhouse, Madelene Sagstrom, Bronte Law, and Nelly Korda have made the cut. Sagstrom ended her 2nd round with a 68 and goes into the weekend at 4-under par. Law and Korda, both starting their 3rd rounds at 3-under, are sharing the 26th slot on the board and Stackhouse is one shot down, at 2-under.

Cristie Kerr managed to get herself up to even par and made the cut but she’s struggling to find her form this week.

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Mel Reid, Azahara Munoz, and Caroline Masson missed the cut this week. That’s a bit of a disappointment for Captain Sorenstam as she puts together her 2017 Solheim Cup team. And Aditi Ashok also missed the cut. That’s a personal disappointment for the Indian rookie who dropped down the priority list in the Tour’s 1st reshuffle.

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