Advertisement
Advertisement
LPGA Tour
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Danielle Kang walks down a fairway during the second round of the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Photo: Xinhua

HSBC Women’s World Championship: flawless Kang lets rain delay wash over her in charge to top

  • Danielle Kang shakes off weather delay to card error-free 9-under 63 to take 1-shot lead at halfway stage in Singapore
  • Surprise overnight leader Elizabeth Szokol in tie for second after an inconsistent round of 71
LPGA Tour

American Danielle Kang fired a flawless nine-under 63 to grab a one-shot halfway lead at a rain-soaked HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore on Friday.

World No 18 Kang, who started the day in a tie for 29th on one-under, surged to the top of the leader board after draining nine birdies, including three in a row from the 12th during a weather-delayed second round at Sentosa Golf Club.

Surprise overnight leader Elizabeth Szokol was tied for second place, alongside Allisen Corpuz and Kim Hyo-joo, after an inconsistent round in which she nearly cancelled out her five birdies with four bogeys.

“It was a really long day and I’m pleased with how I battled it out. I didn’t have my best stuff and I’m glad to finish the day with an under-par score,” Szokol said.

American world No 2 Nelly Korda was in a three-way share for fifth after carding a 68.

Danielle Kang chips on to a green at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Photo: Xinhua

More than four hours of play was lost to heavy rains, not that it seemed to bother Kang much, who said patience and “staying in the present” had been key to her performance.

“I was just trying to focus on what was in front of me, whether it was walking through the mud or whether it was sitting there, waiting for the weather delay,” Kang said. “I wasn’t really trying to get ahead of myself, and I think I did a really good job.”

Thunderstorms first delayed the start of the second round by more than an hour in the morning before continuous rain forced play to be suspended again at 11.20am.

When play finally resumed at 2.45pm, Kang took advantage of the rest and continued to impress especially with her putting around the tricky greens at the Tanjong course.

The 30-year-old, a six-time LPGA winner, needed only 25 putts at 10-under overall.

“My ball striking helped me out a little bit today. But my putter has been really hot for a while and it’s working,” Kang said.

After a difficult opening day with the putter, South Korea’s reigning champion Ko Jin-young shot eight birdies and a bogey to climb up into a tie for eighth with a 65, while top-ranked Lydia Ko’s 69 left her in a tie for 16th.

Allisen Corpuz lines up a putt at Sentosa Golf Club. Photo: Xinhua

Corpuz, who is chasing her maiden LPGA breakthrough this week, moved 12 places up the leader board with a 65, having started the day tied for 14th.

“I’m just trying to go out there and play my best golf. I take a little extra time to breathe over shots and hit the best shots that I can instead of thinking about the scores and results too much,” the 24-year-old said.

At the other end of the leader board Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan had a better day on Friday, carding a one-under 71, that moved her to two-over for the tournament.

Post