Vikki still in second spot

Four-Time Tour Winner Hurst Slides Into Lead After Second Round in Georgia

from the Duramed Futures Tour website

BRASELTON, Ga., Oct. 18, 2008 - Rookie and four-time Tour winner Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla., moved into the lead of the inaugural $150,000 Duramed Invitational after posting a 2-under-par 69 in today's second round.

Hurst's two-day total of 140 (-2) gives her a one-shot lead over LPGA Tour member Sarah Lynn Sargent (67) of St. Charles, Ill., and Vikki Laing (71) of Musselburgh, Scotland, both tied at 1-under-par 141 through two rounds.

Five players trail by two strokes at even-par 142 in a tie for fourth.

Clear and partly sunny skies welcomed the 72-player field at Chateau Elan Golf Club after first-round play was plagued by rain and temperatures that dipped into the low 60s.

After Laing and first-round leader Jenna Pearson of Wheaton, Ill., were the only players to finish under par on Friday, 12 players found red numbers in Saturday's sunny second round.

The 18-year-old Hurst rebounded from a bogey on her second hole to convert a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 6. She was left with a tap-in for birdie on the ninth hole and added birdies on holes 11 and 15.

"I tried to get in a rhythm early on and was able to finish well," Hurst said. "I'm really excited to be in the lead now because I want to finish the season strong before I go home."

Hurst admitted fatigue became a factor yesterday as first-round play dragged on through windy and rainy conditions. She made bogeys on No. 16 and 17 coming in to finish with an even-par 71 on Friday.

"It was two completely different conditions," Hurst said of the two rounds. "It was really important to get my first round solid because I was getting a little sleepy in the cold and it became tough to keep my focus."

This week is a "welcome home" of sorts for Hurst, who starred on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) circuit and was the 2007 Rolex Player of the Year. She won the 2006 Mizuno Junior at Chateau Elan, home of this week's Tour event.

"It's a tough course to walk, but I like the distances," said Hurst, of the 6,406-yard layout at Chateau Elan's Chateau Course. "I had to push her (mother and caddie Koko) up some of the hills."

Sargent emerged from a 16th-place tie and stormed through second-round play with four birdies on the front nine. She recovered from a double-bogey on her second hole.

"I really like this no-cut format because I like to go out there and be aggressive," said Sargent, who is making more than a one-hour commute from her home in Williamston, S.C. "I didn't do anything stupid today and I was able to hit more than seven greens."

Final-round play begins Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. off the first tee. The leading group of Hurst, Sargent and Laing, tee off at 12:20 p.m. The Duramed Invitational does not feature a 36-hole cut.

For real-time scoring and more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com.

Leading Second-round scores Saturday in the Duramed FUTURES Tour's $150,000 Duramed Invitational at the 6406-yard, par 36-35 - 71 Chateau Elan Golf Club, Braselton, Ga. (a-denotes amateur):

140 Vicky Hurst (Melbourne, Fla.) 71-69
141 Sarah Lynn Sargent (St. Charles, Ill.) 74-67, Vikki Laing (Musselburgh, Scotland) 70-71
142 Nicole Jeray (Berwyn, Ill.) 76-66, Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 73-69, Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 73-69, Haeji Kang (Seoul, South Korea) 71-71, Mindy Kim (Diamond Bar, Calif.) 71-71
143 Taya Battistella (Portland, Ore.) 76-67, Danah Ford (Indianapolis, Ind.) 73-70, Jessica Shepley (Oakville, Ontario) 71-72
144 Jenna Pearson (Wheaton, Ill.) 69-75