Matsuyama leads in windy Shanghai

SHANGHAI — Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama made light work of tough conditions at the WGC-HSBC Champions with a sparkling seven-under-par 65 to surge ahead of a stellar field after the second round at a wet and windy Sheshan International Golf Club Friday. World No. 3 Rory McIlroy rediscovered his touch on the greens after struggling with the putter en route to a first-round 71, sinking seven birdies for a 66 to close within six shots of the lead going into the weekend. The in-form Matsuyama started with a bogey and dropped another shot at the ninth but nine birdies gave him a three-shot lead over reigning champion Russell Knox and American Bill Haas on 13-under for the tournament. “Coming here, I was a little bit nervous again thinking, maybe it’s not going to be a good week for me,” said the world No. 10. “But then I decided, ‘oh, wait a minute, let’s just have fun this week’. It’s made a difference.” Matsuyama carded 66 in Thursday’s opening round but went one better Friday thanks to an error-free back nine, closing out the day’s lowest round with a stunning approach shot to birdie the final hole. Early-pacesetter Rikard Karlberg of Sweden, who shot a first round 64, ended up with a 75 after five bogeys on the front nine, while Knox continued his strong start with a measured 68. American Rickie Fowler was just one shot off the pace after the first round but slumped to a on Friday, while compatriot and world No. 2 Dustin Johnson also struggled. The US Open champion started the day at two-over and things did not get much better as he dropped six shots, including a double bogey at the 10th hole, to offset an eagle at the par-five 14th and card another 74. Amy stretches lead Amy Yang holed a pitching wedge for eagle on the par-4 11th hole and stretched her lead to three strokes Friday in the hot, humid and stormy Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. The 27-year-old South Korean player had a 2-under 69 at TPC Kuala Lumpur, a day after shooting 63 to miss her own course record by a stroke. She parred the first 10, then hit the approach that landed on the front of the green, hopped and rolled in. Anna Nordqvist, Mi Jung Hur and Candie Kung were tied for second after the round that was delayed about two hours because of lightning — accompanied by periods of heavy rain — with the last group in the 16th fairway. Nordqvist had a 68, and Hur and Kung each shot 65 to match the best rounds of the day. Michelle Wie hung around, while Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson staggered in. Wie followed her opening 66 with a 70 to drop four strokes behind. Ha Na Jang (67), Azahara Munoz (70), Jenny Shin (70) and 2014 winner Shanshan Feng (70) joined Wie at 6 under. The top-ranked Ko closed bogey-double bogey for a 71, leaving her eight strokes back in her first tournament since firing caddie Jason Hamilton. She finished on No. 9 before the storm hit. Streelman ahead Kevin Streelman, fired up by the World Series appearance of the Chicago Cubs, grabbed 10 birdies in a nine-under par 63 Thursday to take the first-round lead at the US PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championship. Streelman hit 13 of 14 fairways in regulation and 17 of 18 greens on the Country Club of Jackson layout in Mississippi. He was two strokes in front of Sweden’s Carl Pettersson, Ireland’s Seamus Power and American Trey Mullinax. — Agencies