South Korea’s Chun chases elusive first win of season

MONTREAL: Chun In-Gee, a fourtime runner up on the LPGA Tour in 2017, is poised to strike for a first victory after seizing the halfway lead in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open on Friday.

The South Korean had five birdies in a four-under par 67, and her eight-under total of 134 gave her a two-stroke lead over Americans Mo Martin, Brittany Lincicome and Marina Alex.

“I (had) a lot of seconds this year, but I think they were good memories for me and a good experience,” Chun said. “I think I’m ready to win.”

Chun said she’d struggled to read the greens at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, but was able to line them up better with some help from her caddie.

“I trusted my line and made it,” said Chun, whose four runner-up finishes this year include a playoff loss at the Manulife LPGA Classic — the first of the season’s two LPGA tournaments.

Alex, the first-round leader, slipped two off the pace with a one-under par 70.

Martin’s four-under par 67 included a stretch of four birdies in six holes on her back nine. Lincicome birdied two of her first four en route to a 67.

“The whole day was good,” Lincicome said. “I’m driving the ball pretty well. Some of these holes out here there are a lot of bunkers that are right in my way, right in my landing zone, so we’re kind of being a little more aggressive than I feel like we probably should be. But so far since I’m driving it well, we’re just going to keep doing it.”

A group of seven golfers, including world number one Ryu So-Yeon were a further stroke back on 137.

Ryu, who carded a 68, was joined by US veteran Cristie Kerr, Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen, Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, England’s Holly Clyburn and American Stacy Lewis.

A foursome of golfers was a shot further back on 138, including Aussie Sarah Jane Smith, Spain’s Beatriz Recari, South Korean Park SungHyun, China’s Feng Shanshan and American Jennifer Song.

Song holed out for an eagle at the 14th from 136 yards.

“I was just trying to decide if there was a breeze or not. Thankfully I had the right club and I hit it pretty perfect,” Song said. “I didn’t get to see the ball go in the hole because I was on the left side, but the crowd screamed, so obviously I knew it was something good there.”