Emily Kristine Pedersen moves into lead in Florida

The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican R2

Emily Kristine Pedersen holds the lead after 36 holes of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican for the first time in her career headed into the weekend.

Starting on the back nine, the Dane got off to a good start, recording back-to-back birdies on the first two par-4s to move to nine-under. With two quick pars to maintain her position, she picked up momentum once again, making three birdies over the last five holes on her front nine including on one of the two par 5s this week, No. 14. Pedersen made the turn at five-under par for the day and 12-under for the tournament. Another birdie on the par-4 1st extended her to 13-under par before hitting a stretch of holes that would bounce her back and forth between 12- and 13-under. She bogeyed Nos. 3, 6 and 9, but they were balanced out by the previous birdie on hole 1 as well as birdies on the par-4 5th and par-5 7th.

“Obviously I started really well, 5-under on the front nine. Holed some good putts. I think the greens were so pure in the morning. Not that they weren’t this afternoon, but I had a few good rolls to start with. I think it got a little bit more windy out there and my back nine was not as I hoped. I hit a few uncommitted golf shots that I’m a little bit mad at myself about. I mean, that happens. Hopefully I can commit a bit more tomorrow and keep it going on the whole round.”

Pedersen ended the day with a 65 and a 36-hole total of 128, breaking her previous 36-hole scoring record by six strokes and breaking the previous 36-hole tournament scoring record of 129 at The ANNIKA set by Jennifer Kupcho and Lexi Thompson in 2021. While currently sitting at No. 80 in the Race to CME Globe points list, a win this week would be crucial to move her within the top-40 and secure her a spot at next week’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla.

“I know I want to play next week as well. But at the end of the day I also know, and I’ve made this mistake so many times in the past, to think about oh, if I finish this, go in and look at the projected standings, and now I’m just like, you can’t do anything about it,” said Pedersen. “So, I’m just trying to focus on putting together a good day, a good hole, good shot every day. So many times I’ve looked ahead and it’s not gone well, so I’m trying to do something different.

Japanese rookie Minami Katsu shot a second-round score of 67. Shae also started on the back nine and made two birdies in her first four holes before making the turn at two-under after a bogey and birdie canceled themselves out on holes 16 and 17. The 10-time JLPGA champion made two more birdies on her back nine, before recording a bogey  at the 8th and finishing at 10-under par after 36 holes in her first start at The ANNIKA.

Thai player Jasmine Suwannapura sits in solo 3rd after a 65. She tied for the lowest second-round score amongst the field, with the help of eight birdies on Friday.

Six players sit in a tie for fourth place at 8-under after tricky greens and afternoon winds brought the round two scoring average to 70.041.

Pos.PlayerTo ParR1R2Total
1Emily Kristine Pedersen-126365128
2Minami Katsu-106367130
3Jasmine Suwannapura-96665131
T4Lindy Duncan-86765132
T4Perrine Delacour-86765132
T4Wichanee Meechai-86666132
T4Gaby Lopez-86567132
T4Muni He-86567132
T4Jin Young Ko-86369132
T10Lilia Vu-76766133
T10Dewi Weber-76469133
T10Azahara Munoz-76469133
T13Amy Yang-66965134
T13Jodi Ewart Shadoff-66866134
T13Sarah Schmelzel-66866134
T13Amanda Doherty-66668134
T13In Gee Chun-66668134
T13Jaravee Boonchant-66668134
T13Ariya Jutanugarn-66470134
T13Lexi Thompson-66470134
T21Stephanie Kyriacou-57065135
T21Gina Kim-57065135
T21Alison Lee-56867135
T21Charley Hull-56867135
T21Nelly Korda-56768135
T21Wei-Ling Hsu-56768135
T21Caroline Inglis-56669135
T21Rachel Kuehn (a)-56669135
T21Chanettee Wannasaen-56471135
T21Patty Tavatanakit-56372135
T31Gabriela Ruffels-46967136
T31Jeongeun Lee6-46868136
T31Ruoning Yin-46868136
T31Sarah Kemp-46868136
T31Megan Khang-46769136
T31Lydia Ko-46769136
T31Bianca Pagdanganan-46769136
T31Matilda Castren-46670136
T31Linn Grant-46571136
T40Eun-Hee Ji-37166137
T40Cydney Clanton-36968137
T40Ruixin Liu-36770137
T40Pornanong Phatlum-36572137
T40Brooke M. Henderson-36275137
T45Aline Krauter-27167138
T45Grace Kim-27167138
T45Ashleigh Buhai-27068138
T45Min Lee-27068138
T45Anna Nordqvist-27068138
T45Elizabeth Szokol-26969138
T45Pernilla Lindberg-26969138
T45Louise Rydqvist (a)-26870138
T45Soo Bin Joo-26870138
T45Maria Fassi-26870138
T45Leona Maguire-26771138
T45Ally Ewing-26771138
T45Hae Ran Ryu-26672138
T45Allisen Corpuz-26672138
T45Atthaya Thitikul-26672138
T45Carlota Ciganda-26672138
T45Georgia Hall-26573138
T62Hye-Jin Choi-17267139
T62Frida Kinhult-17168139
T62Nicole Broch Estrup-17069139
T62Jeongeun Lee5-17069139
T62Yuna Nishimura-16970139
T62Polly Mack-16871139
T62Olivia Cowan-16871139
T62Gemma Dryburgh-16772139
T62Hinako Shibuno-16673139
Projected Cut
T71Dottie ArdinaPar7466140
T71Moriya JutanugarnPar7268140
T71Pauline RoussinPar7169140
T71Paula RetoPar7169140
T71Stacy LewisPar7169140
T71Albane ValenzuelaPar7070140
T71Nanna Koerstz MadsenPar6971140
T71Cheyenne KnightPar6971140
T71Mi Hyang LeePar6971140
T71Celine BoutierPar6872140
T71Maja StarkPar6773140
T71Arpichaya YubolPar6674140
T83Narin An+17269141
T83Aditi Ashok+17071141
T83Ayaka Furue+17071141
T83Alexa Pano+16972141
T83Marissa Steen+16774141
T83Yan Liu+16576141
T89Morgane Metraux+27468142
T89Lauren Stephenson+27270142
T89Maddie Szeryk+27270142
T89Stephanie Meadow+27072142
T89A Lim Kim+27072142
T89Yu Liu+27072142
T89Yu-Sang Hou+26874142
T89Yealimi Noh+26874142
T89Dani Holmqvist+26775142
T98Weiwei Zhang+37172143
T98Xiaowen Yin+37073143
T98Madelene Sagstrom+37073143
T98Ryann O'Toole+37073143
T98Emma Talley+36974143
T98Kelly Tan+36974143
T98Auston Kim+36974143
T105Celine Borge+47668144
T105Lauren Hartlage+47569144
T105Annie Park+47470144
T105Lauren Coughlin+47371144
T105Hyo Joon Jang+47173144
T105Marina Alex+46975144
T105Mina Harigae+46876144
T112Caroline Hedwall+57372145
T112Bailey Tardy+57273145
T114Jennifer Song+67373146
T114Su Oh+67274146
T114Lucy Li+67274146
T117Linnea Strom+77869147
T117Paula Creamer+77671147
119Sophia Schubert+87375148
120Pavarisa Yoktuan+97475149
Updated: November 12, 2023
The ANNIKA 2023
Date: 9th November - 12th November, 2023
Location: Pelican Golf Club, Belleair, Florida
Purse: $3,250,000