Shepherd makes cut at LPGA Marathon Classic

<p>This whole LPGA thing is starting to get easier and easier for Erica Shepherd.</p><p>After grinding her way to a 72 in Thursday’s first round at the LPGA Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, the Center Grove grad turned in a 1-under-par 70 on Friday to advance to this weekend’s final two rounds.</p><p>Shepherd collected three birdies in a four-hole span on her second nine to put herself in a comfortable position.</p><p>&quot;Making the turn, I saw that there were 77 players at 1 over or better,&quot; Shepherd said. &quot;I wanted to get some early birdies so I could feel comfortable down the stretch.&quot;</p><p>It’s the third pro cut in the last four tries for the 18-year-old and the second in a row, following the Indy Women in Tech Championship last August at Brickyard Crossing.</p><p>At even par, Shepherd is tied for 64th place; the top 70 plus ties in the 136-player field made the cut. She will tee off at 8:05 a.m. today alongside playing partner Aditi Ashok.</p><p>Sei Young Kim has the overall lead at 11 under par, one stroke ahead of fellow South Korean Jeongeun Lee6.</p><p>Teeing off on the 10th hole in the afternoon, Shepherd straddled the cut line throughout the back nine, bobbing below with a bogey on 12 before getting back on the right side with a birdie on the par-3 14th. She again dipped under after bogeying the 15th, but another birdie on the par-5 17th helped her make the turn with an even-par 37, leaving her at +1 for the tourney and tentatively on the safe side of the line.</p><p>A birdie on the second hole — her third on a par-3 hole so far this week — and then another on the par-4 third put Shepherd at -1 overall and gave her a bit of breathing room.</p><p>She got to -2 for the tournament with yet another birdie on the fifth before dropping back to even with bogeys on seven and nine. On both of those holes, Shepherd got into trouble off the tee.</p><p>&quot;On seven, that’s probably the hardest par-5 I’ve played in my entire career,&quot; she said. &quot;I was actually happy to make bogey on that hole after I put myself in the rough off the tee.&quot;</p><p>Shepherd feels good going into the weekend, saying she’s hitting the ball well, and the repeated exposure to the LPGA — this is her fifth pro event overall — has helped make each round at this level a bit easier to handle.</p><p>&quot;The more you know the course, the better,&quot; Shepherd said, &quot;and just getting more comfortable around big crowds and the professional level. … I definitely feel comfortable now.&quot;</p>