Zhang trims Tanco's lead

Nicole Zhang, a 17-year-old from Calgary, Alberta, is taking a new approach to golf.

She's decided to take some time to look around and see the faces, smell the flowers and have fun.

And she's not complaining about the scenery after two rounds of the AJGA's Rolex Tournament of Champions at Dalhousie Golf Club.

After her second straight sub-par round Thursday, Zhang, who started the day in second, had closed a three-shot gap to one stroke on first-round leader Victoria Tanco, who used some nifty scrambling in the final three holes of an even-par 72 round to remain at 6 under for the tournament.

Zhang was at 5-under par after her second-round 70. She was two strokes ahead of third-place Alexis Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla., the country's No. 1 ranked junior girls player.

Victoria Tanco studies a green Thursday during the second round of the AJGA's Rolex Tournament of Champions at Dalhousie Golf Club.

Positioned between Tanco and Thompson is new territory for Zhang. In her four years of playing in AJGA events, Zhang never has finished higher than fifth in approximately 20 events.

"It's pretty interesting to be kind of in it," Zhang said.

While she has held a first-round lead in an AJGA event before, Zhang said she never has been near the top in a major event. She's never been invited to the Rolex and never has played with Tanco or Thompson, which will change with her final pairing with the two golfers today.

"They're like my idols," Zhang said. "I'm always like, 'Wow, they're so amazing.' It feels pretty cool to be competing against them."

This is her fourth AJGA event this year, and even though she feels she is playing better, her best finish is a tie for ninth.

Alexis Thompson hits down the third fairway Thursday.

"I've just had a better attitude," Zhang said of her improved positioning on the leaderboard this week. "I've just been more appreciative of being out there and playing a great course.

"I just told myself I'm going to have a better attitude. When I see all the volunteers and stuff, and I'd be like, 'Wow,' and they give up their time to be there, and to be thankful for that."

She said she didn't have a bad attitude before, but it was a matter of focus.

"I was just all about, like golf," Zhang said. "Now I just have a wider perspective. It has, just like, came to me. I'm definitely having more fun."

Zhang, who started on No. 10, had four birdies and two bogeys in her round.

Amy Meier reacts to a putt on the fifth green Thursday.

After creeping within a stroke of the lead, Zhang fell back with a bogey on the par-5 No. 7 for a second straight day. However, she bounced back with a birdie on the next hole, when her tee shot on the 165-yard par-3 No. 8 narrowly missed the flagstick and left her with a 6-foot putt. She then finished her round with a par on No. 9.

Tanco and Thompson were in the group behind Zhang and also finished the final three holes in interesting fashion.

Tanco, an Argentinian who also takes up residence in Bradenton, Fla., avoided having to share her lead with Zhang when she salvaged a par on No. 7 after sending her drive into the hazard. After taking a drop and penalty stroke, Tanco reached the green with a 4-iron and a 200-yard approach shot with a rescue club. Left with a 20-foot putt for par, Tanco rolled it into the heart of the cup.

She then sent her tee shot on No. 8 into a greenside bunker, but blasted out to 2 feet and again saved par.

"It was very important because I made par on 7 and 8, so that was good to finish even par," Tanco said.

Thompson wasn't as fortunate.

She played bogey-free golf for 16 holes. Her fourth birdie of the day on the par-3 No. 5 pushed her to 5-under par and a stroke behind Tanco, but she bogeyed her final two holes to fall three shots off the lead.

She put her tee shot on No. 8 into a sand bunker, then pulled her drive with a hybrid into the lake on No. 9.

"I can deal with the bogey I made on No. 8," Thompson said, "but No. 9 is just unexplainable. I should have never hit in that lake."

The rough finish still left her in contention for her third AJGA title of the season.

"I know I can come back," Thompson said. "I'm not hitting it as good as I usually do."

Four shots off the lead at 2-under par and tied for fourth was last year's winner of the AJGA event at Dalhousie, Ani Gullugian (72), along with Karen Chung (68) and Doris Chen (72).