Sweden, Australia, Thailand Advance at International Crown

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The semifinal area is almost set on the International Crown LPGA group occasion with someday of pool play to go as Sweden, Australia and Thailand all clinched spots and the United States swept each matches Friday to maneuver to the verge of advancing.

Sweden remained excellent in Pool A by profitable each matches in opposition to China, whereas Thailand swept defending champion South Korea and Australia beat Japan to advance out of Pool B on a chilly and blustery day at TPC Harding Park.

“I really feel like we’ve had plenty of enjoyable this week, and I really feel like that’s been working to our benefit,” Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist mentioned.

The U.S. has three factors after two days in Pool A and can clinch the ultimate spot in Sunday’s knockout spherical by getting not less than half a degree Saturday in opposition to Sweden or if China would not sweep England.

The International Crown is a match-play event that includes groups of 4 gamers from eight nations. The groups are divided into two swimming pools of 4 nations with the highest two from every group after three days of round-robin play of fourball competitors advancing to the semifinals on Sunday. Teams get one level for every win and a half for a tied match.

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Lexi Thompson sealed the ultimate U.S. match of the day when she holed a birdie putt from about 12 toes on the sixteenth gap to provide her and Danielle Kang a 3-and-2 victory over England’s Bronte Law and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.

“It was breaking fairly a bit, so I performed it about two-and-a-half cups out, somewhat bit uphill, so I knew I might be somewhat aggressive with it,” Thompson mentioned. “But I used to be simply attempting to provide myself a birdie alternative going into that pin.”

Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu received for the second straight day, beating Alice Hewson and Liz Young 2 and 1 thanks to a different sturdy again 9.

Korda and Vu misplaced the primary two holes, however fought again to tie it with birdies on the third and sixth holes after which received three straight holes from Nos. 12 to 14 to take management on the identical a part of the course that turned their first match on Thursday in opposition to China.

“I believe it was time to make a transfer after which we’re simply aggressive and it labored out that method,” Vu mentioned.

Seven of the eight groups stored the identical pairings on day two with solely Japan switching up. Yuka Saso performed with Hinako Shibuno a day after shedding a match to Thailand with Ayaka Furue. Furue teamed with Nasa Hataoka.

It did not find yourself serving to, with Furue and Hataoka shedding 2 as much as Australia’s Minjee Lee and Stephanie Kyriacou. Saso and Shibuno tied Hannah Green and Sarah Kemp nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to stave off elimination.

The hardest half for the Australians may need been coping with the climate with temperatures within the 50s, a brisk wind and lightweight rain on the finish of the day. Green wore massive white earmuffs to attempt to keep heat.

“We all have plenty of layers on,” Kemp mentioned. “We grew up enjoying in only a shirt, that’s it, and shorts. So that is very totally different for us. When I’ve this many layers on I’m in all probability not less than half a membership much less, and it bought actually windy out as soon as we got here out the again. The wind actually began to choose up. I used to be uncomfortably chilly after we bought to 11 and 12, however was attempting to do these little jumps and stuff. But we’re not used to this. We’d favor the solar to return out tomorrow.”

Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall birdied 5 of the primary six holes to go 3 up and beat Yu Liu and Ruixin Liu 2 and 1. Madelene Sagstrom and Maja Stark beat Ruoning Yin and Xiyu Lin 2 and 1 within the different match.

Thailand, which got here into the week because the sixth seed, remained excellent this week with the sister tandem of Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn beating South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi and In Gee Chun 2 and 1, and Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul beating Jin Young Ko and Hyo Joo Kim 3 and a couple of.

This is the fourth time this event has been held after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain received the inaugural event in 2014, adopted by the United States in 2016 and South Korea in 2018.

This is the primary skilled girls’s occasion to be performed at TPC Harding Park, which has hosted a number of massive occasions for the lads, together with the 2009 Presidents Cup and the 2020 PGA Championship.