Kristy paired with pair of Asian players at Open

Conway native Kristy McPherson isn't averse to chatting during a competitive round of golf, so she might have a number of conversations with her caddie in the first two rounds of the U.S. Women's Open Thursday and Friday (July 9-10) at the 6,740-yard, par-71 Old Course at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. McPherson is paired with Yuri Fudoh of Japan and Hee-Won Han of Korea in the opening two rounds. The group goes off the first tee Thursday at 1:36 p.m. and the 10th tee Friday at 8:06 a.m. If McPherson makes the cut this week (she's even par for the tournament through 11 holes of her second round and a couple shots shy of the projected cut line) she will likely surpass $1 million in earnings in her three-year LPGA Tour career. McPherson enters the final round $735 shy of the $1 million mark. McPherson is playing in her first U.S. Women's Open but has built an impressive track record in majors this year. She tied for second in the Kraft Nabisco Championship and tied for fifth in the McDonald's LPGA Championship.