South Korea’s Shin Ji-yai got hot on a chilly, damp day on Friday, firing a nine-under 64 to take the lead in the rain-disrupted LPGA Kia Classic.
“I jumped on the birdie bus,” said Shin, who had nine birdies in her first 14 holes and finished without a bogey to take her 36-hole total to 12-under 134.
The world’s second-ranked player, who is an eight-time winner on the LPGA Tour, was delighted just to be in the clubhouse after two tours of the par-73 Industry Hills Golf Club course.
Photo: AFP
Seventy-two players — all of the afternoon starters — were unable to finish after rain pushed back the start three hours.
“I think I’m really lucky to finish,” Shin said. “I played very well, so I’ll take a good rest.”
On the course, Germany’s Sandra Gal was at eight-under through nine holes when play was suspended because of darkness. South Korea’s Chella Choi was Shin’s closest pursuer in the clubhouse, completing a 68 for six-under 140.
Overnight leader Amanda Blumenherst was six-under with nine holes remaining.
“Because of the rain delay this morning, I was a little tired, but it actually gave me more time to prepare and warm up, and things went well from there,” Choi said.
Michelle Wie, returning to the tour after finishing final exams at Stanford University, followed an opening 68 with a 75 to drop nine strokes behind Shin at three-under. Wie bogeyed three of her last four holes.
“Just kind of didn’t get a couple of holes going,” Wie said. “Just kind of mishit a couple of shots and missed a couple putts, and I guess that’s the difference it makes. You have to be on the right side of the fairway, because there are trees blocking out half of the green, so it’s really about management.”
Shin, trying to regain the world No. 1 ranking from Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, missed only one fairway and one green in regulation. She needed just 25 putts and made four birdies of 12 feet or longer.
“My goal was three-under-par, so I just kept thinking before the round to make a couple birdies and no bogeys,” Shin said. “I just kept focused for my shot. It was really easy, simple play.”
Blumenherst, a stroke ahead of Gal after the first round, was four adrift by the time she finally teed off in the late afternoon.
“I was not watching at all,” Blumenherst said. “I had no idea of what was going on. It’s just part of the game.”
Tseng, the winner of the LPGA Thailand and three other titles worldwide this year, was two-under for the tournament with five holes remaining in her second round alongside compatriot Amy Hung who carded a 74. Taiwan’s Candie Kung shot a 75 for a two-over two-round total.
Australian veteran Karrie Webb, whose victory in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday marked her second in a row, was also two-over with five holes to play.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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