Tseng survives cut, 10 back at Wegmans LPGA

• By Randall Mell
• Jun 8, 2012 6:53 PM ET

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Yani Tseng’s head was reeling Friday with the possibility she could go from winning the Wegmans LPGA Championship by 10 shots last year to missing the cut this year.

After signing for a 75 Friday, Tseng left the scoring hut at 7 over, two shots off the cutline. By day’s end, though, the cut line ballooned to plus-7, granting Tseng a reprieve and a chance to play the weekend.

“I don’t know how I could have shot 19 under last year and be 7 over after two days this year,” Tseng said. “But the course is very different this year.”

Tseng faces a 10-stroke deficit entering the weekend as Se Ri Pak holds the 36-hole lead at 3 under.

Tseng’s 76 on Thursday equaled her high score of the year. She had to hole a 6-foot putt for par at the 18^th Friday to prevent equaling it again.

“I was shocked,” said Stacy Lewis, who was paired with Tseng and Paula Creamer. “That is probably the worst I’ve seen Yani play over two days. Usually, if she has a bad day, she bounces right back and is in it again. I could tell, throughout the day, she just lost some confidence. It wasn’t the usual Yani out there.”

What was Tseng struggling with?

“I think it was mental, frustration, but I did my best and focused on every shot,” she said. “The golf course is just very tough. You get in the rough, and it’s tough to save par.”

Tseng hit just five of 14 fairways. She huddled with her swing coach, Gary Gilchrist, after the round.