Perez comes out shining after delay

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA Pat Perez led by one stroke halfway through the CIMB Classic after carding a 7-under-par 65 around a four-hour delay for rain on Friday.

Fellow American golfer Xander Schauffele was on Perez’s tail after a long-range eagle on the third hole set up his 5-under 67.

Defending champion Justin Thomas had another poor round by his high standards: a 71. A three-peat at TPC Kuala Lumpur seems a tall order.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. (67) moved into a tie for eighth at 6 under. Toronto’s Richard T. Lee (70) was tied for 45th at 1 under, while Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask. (67) and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford (74) were tied for 55th at even par.

Tour rookie of the year Schauffele said he was comfortable.

“Everything’s kind of coming easy,” Schauffele said. “Today was one of those weird days. I had some squirrelly tee shots and a couple of weird drops. But they all kind of went my way.”

Meanwhile, Angel Yin shot a 7-under 65 and took a twostroke lead after the second round of the LPGA’s KEB Hana Bank Championship on Friday in Incheon, South Korea.

Yin had an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole and six birdies, offset by a lone bogey on No. 17, to finish at 11-under 133, two shots ahead of overnight leader Sung Hyun Park (69).

Park, who won the U.S. Women’s Open for her first major and was ranked No. 2 in the world, was tied with fellow South Koreans In Gee Chun (65) and Jin Young Ko (67).

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., offset two bogeys with seven birdies for a 67 and was in a share of 13th at 6 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp carded a 72 and was tied for 55th at 2 over.