LYDIA KO MISSES CUT IN KIA CLASSIC

A 10-foot putt stood between top-ranked Lydia Ko making the cut or getting a rare weekend off. She rolled it just right. So after taking Saturday off, she’ll be driving out to Palm Springs on Sunday to start preparing for the season’s first major. Ko, the defending Kia champion, missed the cut for just the second time in 91 LPGA Tour starts when she bogeyed two of her final three holes Friday at the Kia Classic. Cristie Kerr, the 2015 Kia champion, shot a 3-under 69 for a two-round total of 9-under 135, good for a one-shot lead over Mo Martin and Mirim Lee. “I kind of was in an OK position after halfway. Then I had a really bad finish,” said Ko, a 19-year-old New Zealander. “I can’t do anything about it. I tried my best out there to hopefully put myself in better position going forward. But, hey, I wish I would’ve been able to be able to play on the weekend.” /