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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michelle Wie began the day tied for sixth place, and she ended it tied for 46th.
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France » Mika Miyazato of Japan shot a 5-under 67 yesterday for the second-round lead at the Evian Masters, but the real buzz in France was Michelle Wie’s 9 at the 10th.
The Punahou School graduate began the day tied for sixth at 4-under 68, but slipped way down the leaderboard to a tie for 46th at 1-over 145 after a sluggish round (77) that included the quintuple bogey on the start of the back nine.
Wie has struggled this year, dropping from a high of fifth in the world to 12th at the start of this week. She is 20th on the money list and hasn’t threatened in any of the three major championships this year.
After 36 holes, Wie has hit 14 of 28 fairways and 23 of 36 greens in regulation. The Stanford University student needed 57 putts. She carded one birdie yesterday at the par-4 12th. She also had a bogey at the first hole and 15 pars.
Defending champion and current world No. 1 Ai Miyazato of Japan managed a 72 to stay 3 under overall and six shots off the lead.
Mika Miyazato was 9 under and had a one-stroke lead over Gwladys Nocera of France. Miyazato had six birdies. Nocera had an eagle and five birdies in her round.
The 20-year-old Miyazato played through two weather delays, a shorter one in the morning and a longer break midway through the afternoon.
"I was very, very focused today," she said. "In the beginning, the first nine, my driver wasn’t as steady, but with the rain delay, I was able to refresh my mind-set and have a good back nine."
Nocera has won 10 times on the Ladies European Tour since 2006, but has finished outside of the top 40 in her five previous appearances at Evian.
She has a more relaxed approach this year.
"I told my coach, my caddie, my mental coach, and myself that I will leave (the 18th hole) every day with a smile," Nocera said. "That was the whole point, and I’m doing all right now and I need to keep on going. This is such a great event and I’m so lucky to be part of it."
Jeong Jang of South Korea was at 7 under.
Sun-Ju Ahn, Morgan Pressel and Melissa Reid shared the first-round lead at 6 under, but they struggled as play was suspended due to thunderstorms.
Pressel (72) stayed at 6 under, Ahn (73) dropped to 5 under and Reid (77) was 1 under.
