Today is a big day for Mel Reid. She hasn't won since mid-2012, about a month after her mother was killed in a car accident. Mel says she came back out on Tour much too soon and has been struggling to get her game back on track ever since. This week could change things for her.
The course they're playing at Carya Golf Club this week is a par-73 and Mel came out firing, shooting -8 and -4 in her first two rounds to take a 3-shot lead. Tuesday (the 3rd round) didn't run as smooth; she shot a 1-over 74. But as she told the media:
“It was really tough this afternoon. The greens are borderline unplayable, they are so firm. We were struggling to hold wedges onto it and Gwladys [Nocera] hit a couple of really nice chips and they ran out 15 yards. It was tough. I always felt like I was in between clubs. I was needing a nine and a half iron, eight and a half iron. I’m quite happy in a way that I’ve played it in these conditions because hopefully tomorrow I can play a bit better.”Nocera is playing with a painful tendon injury in her right ankle and, while she stayed pretty close the first two days, it was Pam Pretswell who closed the gap to a single stroke by the end of play. Most of the players seconded Reid's description of a faster drier course, and it's likely to get even faster today given the weather forecast -- more sun.
Mel Reid got her first pro win at the 2010 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open, so she has good feelings there. But she's had trouble putting four good rounds together lately; hopefully the third round will be her worst and she'll light it up today, getting her career back on track.
GC's final round coverage begins this morning at 7am ET.
[WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Mel shot an even par 73 and won by 4 shots. Welcome back to the winner's circle, Mel!]
No comments:
Post a Comment