Former USC golfer Lizette Salas vying for U.S. Women’s Open lead

A young Southern California golfer is stealing some of the spotlight from Inbee Park through early play at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Lizette Salas was scoring well enough to hold a share of second place with Park -- who is vying for a historic third-consecutive major -- in the second round at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., on Friday.

The 23-year-old grew up in Azusa where her father was the head mechanic at the Azusa Greens Golf Course. According to her LPGA bio, he built her a set of clubs when she was 7 years old and did favors for the head pro in exchange for lessons for his daughter.

A three-time all-conference player at USC, Salas played on the Symetra Tour in 2011 before qualifying for the LPGA tour on her first try last year.

At the Open, a pair of birdies near the turn put her at five-under, good enough to pull even with Park, one stroke behind another South Korean golfer, In-Kyung Kim.

Salas’ best result so far is a ninth-place finish at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.

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