MIAMI — World No. 1 Lydia Ko was tied for the lead with Jang Ha-na at seven-under par when darkness halted play in the third round of the LPGA Coates Championship.
New Zealand’s Ko and second round leader Jang, of South Korea, both completed six holes before the horn blew to end play at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club course in Ocala, Florida, where the tournament was still playing catch-up after thunderstorms Thursday.
Ko started the round one stroke back of Jang but made birdie on the par-three fourth to move into a tie for the lead.
While putting on the par-four sixth hole Ko had to take a step back because she wasn’t sure whether she brushed the ball at her address.
“Yeah, I wasn’t sure because it’s obviously getting a little dark, and with the steepness of the greens, you never know if it does move or not,” she said.
“The rules, we cleared everything, so now I can just go to bed and have a good dinner and come out here early, but this happened to me last year at this tournament, the second round or something, and it happened at KPMG, too, so I just wanted to clarify it so it wouldn’t be a problem tomorrow.”
Jang, who also held the first round lead, had a one-shot cushion over Ko and Japan’s Haru Nomura after Friday morning’s completion of the second round.
Jang’s third round began with a birdie on the par-four opening hole, then she followed it up with a bogey on No. 2.
American Kim Kaufman got off to a fast start Friday afternoon, moving into a share of the lead by making birdie on four of her first eight holes before dropping a shot at the par four 10th.
Kaufman was tied for third at six-under par through 12 holes, along with Jessica Korda, Lexi Thompson and Nomura. Taiwan’s Candie Kung and rookie Chun In-Gee were tied for eighth at five under.
Chun, who will continue her round at the 10th hole on Saturday, bounced back from two early bogeys with three birdies in her last five holes of the day.
Hahn grabs Phoenix lead
James Hahn fired a bogey-free six-under par 66 Friday to grab the lead in the second round of the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open ahead of Rickie Fowler and Danny Lee.
Korean-American Hahn had a 10-under total of 132 after 36 holes at TPC Scottsdale.
World No. 4 Fowler fired a 68 while New Zealand’s lee carded a 66 for 133.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ireland’s Shane Lowry — who shared the first-round lead with Fowler — both posted 70s for 135, where they were joined by Harris English, who signed for a 67.
The event known for its raucous atmosphere drew a record 160,415 people to the course, breaking the previous Friday record of 123,674 set in 2014.
With the tournament still a bit behind after a first-round fog delay on Thursday morning, play was halted by darkness with a handful of players yet to finish.
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson carded a 71 for two-under 140. — Agencies
