LONDON, Ky., Aug. 9, 2008 - Two-time Duramed FUTURES Tour winner Mindy Kim of Diamond Bar, Calif., carded a 4-under-par 68 to take the lead in second-round play at the Falls Auto Group Classic presented by Little Caesars and WYATT, TARRANT & COMBS.
Kim's two-day total of 137 (-7) puts her one stroke ahead of Stacy Lewis (64) of The Woodlands, Texas, who has a two-round score of 138 (-6).
Nicole Jeray (69) of Berwyn, Ill., and four-time Tour winner Vicky Hurst (71) of Melbourne, Fla., are two shots off the lead at 5-under-par 139.
Kim earned back-to-back wins in wire-to-wire fashion this year at the Aurora Health Care Championship in Lake Geneva, Wis., and the Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City Championship in Leawood, Kan. The second-year Tour pro currently ranks second on the season money list and has finished in the top 10 on eight occasions.
Kim slipped out in front of Lewis with a birdie on the 17th hole and bounced back from an early bogey on her fifth hole. She only needed 11 putts to finish 4-under par on the back nine.
"I just didn't feel like I was hitting it solid today," Kim said. "I had some good breaks here and there and I guess it added up to a pretty good round."
Despite being in the lead, Kim said she was pushing her shots to the right and rushed out to the driving range to practice after turning in her scorecard. She is looking forward to playing in the final group on Sunday, which promises to be an exciting finish at the inaugural event.
"I don't feel nervous anymore," Kim said. "I just tried to put myself in good position to knock on the door for a win."
Lewis mounted a second-round charge with eight birdies in a bogey-free round. She set a course record at the Crooked Creek Golf Community and was two strokes shy of tying the Tour 18-hole scoring record set by Erica Blasberg (-10) at the 2004 Laconia Savings Bank FUTURES Golf Classic in Canterbury, N.H.
"I worked really hard on the range yesterday and tried to be more aggressive with my swing," said Lewis, who started the day in a tie for 42nd. "I was able to put myself in better position and make some putts."
Lewis' prowess on the green showed with 26 putts, seven fewer than the 33 putts she needed for a 2-over-par 74 in Friday's round. She made four birdies on both sides of the course and barely missed a 12-foot eagle putt on No. 18 before making the turn, tapping in for birdie.
Lewis tied for third at the U.S. Women's Open Championship earlier this year and is competing in her first event on the Duramed FUTURES Tour.
Jeray, a three-time Tour winner, made birdie on three of her first seven holes, briefly owning a share of the lead in the afternoon.
"I played really well and consistent," Jeray said. "For some reason, I've been playing the front side better than the backside, but it really helps to have a great caddie who knows yardages."
Seventy-seven players made the cut at 6-over-par 150.
Final-round play begins tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. The leading group of Kim, Lewis and Jeray tees off at 12:10 p.m.
For real-time scoring and more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com.
