Greenlief Holds Two-Shot Lead at Virginias Stroke Play After 36 Holes

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RICHMOND, VA – Virginia women’s golfer Lauren Greenlief (Oakton, Va.) holds a two shot lead heading into Thursday’s final round of play at the 34th Virginias Women’s Stroke Play

Greenlief followed her opening day 72 with 2-over 74 in the second round and owns the top spot with a 2-over 146 aggregate.

Greenlief’s roller coaster round seemed to find some renewed momentum after making a 25-footer for an eagle-3 at the par-5 12th hole to move to one under for the day. Despite a stretch of inconsistency in which she made bogeys at Nos. 13 and 15 and a double a 16, Greenlief steadied herself with an important birdie at the par-4 17th hole. There, Greenlief’s tee shot came to rest in a hazard, but with the ball still playable, she somehow escaped the tall, wiry grass. Greenlief ultimately punched a gap wedge that landed on the front of the putting surface and the ball scurried to 10 inches from the hole for a tap-in birdie.

“That really picked me up and gives me some momentum going into [Thursday],” said Greenlief, a spring graduate of the University of Virginia.

And it calmed things on a day when things could’ve come unraveled.

“If you would’ve told me before the round that I would have three birdies and an eagle, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d shot two over,” she said. “I hung in there, though.”

Greenlief notes that she needs to maintain the same steady approach that helped her to repeat titles in 2009 and 2010 and has her holding the overnight lead entering the last day this time around.

The 2010 VSGA Women’s Division Golfer of the Year, Greenlief is trying to become the first player to take home three consecutive titles in the championship’s history. She knows she’ll have to be at her best in a variety of areas.

“I want to play smart, make sure my game is under control and – most of all – play with a lot of confidence,” she said.