Benyapa Niphatsophon zooms into LPGA Symetra Tour Sara Bay Classic lead

Benyapa Niphatsophon said she loves things fast.

Cars, bikes, everything.

So, naturally, Niphatsophon plays her golf quickly.

It starts with a pre-shot routine, where she decides the club based on yardage and just swings away in no time at all.

On Saturday, that speedy play gave her a chance to run away with the LPGA Symetra Tour’s Sara Bay Classic.

Niphatsophon, who played on the LPGA Tour last season, posted a 5-under-par 67 and leads the tournament by two shots heading into Sunday’s final round. Australia’s Hannah Green is in second place at 3-under par.

“I just played my game,” Niphatsophon said.

Niphatsophon did her damage quickly in the second round: She birdied four of her first six holes.

Equipped with booming drives, Niphatsophon capitalized on short approaches. On the 313-yard, par-4 11th, Niphatsophon drilled her tee shot just short of the green, which allowed her to pitch the ball close and sink another birdie.

“It’s a whole different game,” said Portland Rosen, who is tied for 43rd at 8-over par. “She’s playing a completely different golf course than we are playing.”

Playing alongside Niphatsophon, Rosen had the best seat to take in the scorching round.

“Literally, she was a machine,” Rosen said.

Niphatsophon struggled with a left wrist injury during the 2016 LPGA Tour season. Rather than take time off, she pressed forward.

Now healthy, she’s off to a blazing start to the 2017 Symetra Tour campaign. She posted two runner-up finishes in three starts en route to leading the money list with more than $19,000 in earnings.

“I always try to do my best in every tournament I play,” said Niphatsophon, who carded eight birdies. “Because you cannot control what players are going to finish.”

Joining Niphatsophon near the top is Green, who took advantage of the calm afternoon conditions to post a 2-under-par 70.

Following Friday’s first round, Green, who hails from Perth along Australia’s western coast, said she enjoys windy conditions because it’s similar to playing back home. Even though the wind died down for Green, she had to contend with drizzling rain. Green peeled off four birdies against the rain.

“We get all types of weather in Australia,” Green said.

Green’s round took shape on the back nine. She birdied the par-4 11th hole and notched two more birdies for a 3-under-par back side.

“I really stayed patient out there,” Green said. “I gave myself the best opportunities I (could), and I capitalized on those opportunities.”

Green had a chance to close the gap to one shot entering Sunday’s final round, but she missed her birdie putt on the 18th hole.

“It just didn’t go as far right as I thought it would,” Green said. “I just aimed too far left (and) gave it too much break.”

While Niphatsophon and Green charged into the last pairing for Sunday’s final round, Finland’s Emily Penttilä and Colombia’s Paola Moreno stumbled. The first-round co-leaders are tied for 10th and 16th places, respectively. Penttilä carded a 77, while Moreno finished with a 78.

At Sara Bay Country Club (par 72)

Second Round

Saturday

Benyapa Niphatsophon -72-67—139

Hannah Green 71-70—141

Elizabeth Tong 75 69—144

Elizabeth Szokol 73-71—144

Princess Superal 71-73—144

Lindsey Weaver 74-71—145

Shannon Fish 74-71—145

Luciane Lee 72-73—145

Anne-Catherine Tanguay 76-70—146

Casey Kennedy 77-70—147

Christina Foster 76-71—147

Carleigh Silvers 74-73—147

Celine Boutier 72-75—147

Allison Emrey 72-75—147

Emily Penttilä 70-77—147

Rebecca Artis 76-72—148

Kristy McPherson 76-72—148

Margarita Ramos 75-73—148

Augusta James 75-73—148

Erica Popson 72-76—148

Nicole Sakamoto 71-77—148

Paola Moreno 70-78—148

Alejandra Llaneza 77-72—149

Emma Talley -79-70—149

Lacey Agnew 74-75—149

Haeji Kang 75-74—149

Sophia Popov 75-74—149

Jenny Coleman 74-75—149

Mind Muangkhumsakul 73-76—149

Jane Rah 74-75—149

Mia Piccio 75-75—150

Marion Ricordeau 78-72—150

Laura Wearn -77-73—150

Raegan Bremer 75-75—150

Katie Kempter 75-75—150

Charlotte Thomas 75-75—150

Nanna Koerstz Madsen 74-76—150

Desiree Dubreuil 76-75—151

Julia Roth 77-74—151

Manuela Carbajo Re 73-73

Brianna Do 74-77—151

Caroline Inglis 76-75—151

Avery George 81-71—152

Portland Rosen 81-71—152

Kassidy Teare 78-74—152

Liv Cheng 77-75—152

Clariss Guce +8 F +3-77-75—152

Christina Miller 78-74—152

Mindy Kim +8 F +4-76-76—152

Natalie Sheary +8 F +4-76-76—152

Jessica Welch +8 F +4-76-76—152

Alice Barbieri +8 F +5-75-77—152

Chirapat Jao-Javanil +8 F +6-74-78—152

Sara-Maude Juneau +8 F +5-75-77—152

Kristin Coleman +9 F +2-79-74—153

Michelle Piyapattra +9 F -1 82-71—153

Prima Thammaraks +9 F +2-79-74—153

Marita Engzelius +9 F +3-78-75—153

Veronica Felibert +9 F +3-78-75—153

Janie Jackson +9 F +4-77-76—153

Amy Ihm +9 F +4-77-76—153

Christine Meier +9 F +4-77-76—153

Savannah Vilaubi +9 F +5-76-77—153

Lauren Kim 22 +9 F +5-76-77—153

Jenna Peters +9 F +5-76-77—153

Jean Reynolds +9 F +5-76-77—153

Madison Pressel +8—5* +6-74-74

Rachel Rohanna +9 F +5-76-77—153

Cut

Daniela Darquea 81-73—154

Ginger Howard 79-75—154

Becca Huffer 76-78—154

Daniela Iacobelli 78-76—154

Taylor Kim 82-72—154

Yu Liu 76-78—154

Csicsi Rózsa 83-71—154

Christine Song 77-77—154

Kim Welch 80-74—154

Nannette Hill 74 81—155

Emma Jandel 80-75—155

Lorie Kane 77-77

Brogan McKinnon 79-76—155

Allie Knight 78-77—155

Mika Liu 74 81—155

Ruixin Liu 74 81—155

Jennifer Kirby 75 80—155

Jenni Jenq 80-76—156

Kate Machado 79-77—156

Grace Na 79-77—156

Sammi Stevens 78-78—156

Nobuhle Dlamini 78-78—156

Brittany Benvenuto 77-79—156

Brittany Marchand 77-79—156

Maia Schechter 74 82—156

Ericka Schneider 78-78—156

Selanee Henderson 79-77—156

Jordan Britt 83-74—157

Nicole Jeray 81-76—157

Mallory Kent 80-77—157

Isi Gabsa 79-78—157

Cindy LaCrosse 78-79—157

Alison Walshe 78-79—157

Cyna Rodriguez 78-79—157

Charlotte Jaengkit 77 80—157

Ani Gulugian 75 82—157

Kendall Dye 78-80—158

JiaYi Zhou 83-75—158

Doris Chen 80-78—158

Paula Hurtado 75 83—158

Hyemin Kim 75 83—158

Marissa Dodd 83-76—159

Emily Childs 82-77—159

Bertine Strauss 78-81—159

Sandra Angulo Minarro 80-79—159

Katelyn Sepmoree 82-77—159

Monifa Sealy 80-79—159

Louise Ridderström 79-80—159

Gabriella Wahl 79-80—159

Kanyanat Saithip 84-76—160

Liz Breed 81-79—160

Emily McLennan 80-80—160

Sara Banke 78 82—160

Alejandra Cangrejo 77 83—160

Carlie Yadloczky 80-80—160

Jean Chua 83-78—161

Erynne Lee 83-78—161

Jayde Panos 82-79—161

Kaitlyn Price 81-80—161

FLora Assad 79-82—161

Lindsey McPherson 77-84—161

Ashleigh Albrecht 85-78—163

Ashlan Ramsey 82-81—163

Megan Osland 82-81—163

Lori Beth Adams 80-83—163

Alexis Keating 82 82—164

Hannah Collier 86-78—164

Amber Hensley 85-79—164

Dottie Ardina 83-81—164

Elizabeth Nagel 86-82-168

Kaitlin Park 84-85—169

This story was originally published April 22, 2017 at 9:59 PM with the headline "Benyapa Niphatsophon zooms into LPGA Symetra Tour Sara Bay Classic lead."