WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia — Lexi Thompson extended her lead to three shots Friday at the LPGA Kingsmill Championship after posting a second straight six-under-par 65 here.
At 12-under 130 after two rounds, Thompson was halfway to her first win of the 2017 season. Playing partner and fellow American Gerina Piller was alone in second after a 67.
Four shots behind Thompson at 134 were New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the world No. 1, who carded a 67, and American Candie Kung, whose 66 in the second round included an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole.
Five back are Chung In-gee (66) of South Korea and Vicky Hurst (67).
Thompson and the rest of the field endured a rain delay, but the long-hitting American was stellar with six birdies and no bogeys while hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation on the River Course at Kingsmill Resort.
Thompson is playing in her third event since she lost the first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration, in a playoff after a television viewer called in a rules violation and she was assessed a penalty.
“I feel great with where my game is at,” she said.
Piller, who was in a group that trailed Thompson by one shot after the opening round, had another solid round but alternated birdies and bogeys on the final four holes of the day.
Ko was in good position after back-to-back 67s. She was bogey-free in the second round as she pursues her first win since July.
Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, who is challenging Ko for the No. 1 ranking, was nine strokes behind the leader after a 67.
Kokrak seizes 5-shot lead
American Jason Kokrak fired a flawless eight-under-par 62 to seize a commanding five-stroke lead midway through the AT&T Byron Nelson in Irving, Texas, Friday.
The 31-year-old Kokrak, who missed the cut at last week’s Players Championship, equaled the 36-hole tournament record at 12-under par and put himself in position for his first PGA Tour with four birdies on each nine in following up his opening 66.
The stocky Kokrak may need the added cushion as the chasing pack includes world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who shot his second 67 to be six-under on 134.
Billy Horschel, the 2014 FedExCup champion, was alone in second on seven-under 133 after a 65, with Johnson joined at 134 by South Korean An Byeong-hun (66), Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela (68) and Americans Cameron Tringale (68), Bud Cauley (67) and James Hahn (70).
Johnson, who won three tournaments in a row before withdrawing from last month’s Masters after injuring his back in a fall before the opening round, said he is still working on regaining top form.
Johnson said the back was no longer a concern. “There’s no issues there,” he said.
The cut was set at two over par, with 76 players advancing to weekend play.
One notable absentee will be local favourite Jordan Spieth, who shot 75 for three-over 143, missing his second successive cut. — Reuters
