Park, Lindberg hold 3-stroke lead at ANA Inspiration

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Pernilla Lindberg and Sung Hyun Park quietly broke away Friday at the ANA Inspiration.

Park and Lindberg topped the leaderboard at a tournament-record 12-under 132, three strokes ahead of third-place Jessica Korda after two rounds in hot and calm conditions at Mission Hills.

Park shot an 8-under 64 for the best round of the week. The U.S. Women’s Open winner played a ninehole stretch in 7 under. She holed out for eagle from 100 yards on the par-4 15th to cap the run.

Lindberg had a 67 in the final group of the morning session. The 31-year-old Swede had the first-round lead at 65, and was the only player without a bogey the first two days.

Korda had seven birdies in a 68 to get to 9 under. feet to save par on the tough par-4 18th. He said patience will be key as he seeks his first PGA Tour victory.

“The reality is I’m 11 under par. More than likely 18 under is going to win the tournament unless the conditions are tough, so there’s a long way to go,” Hossler said.

Rickie Fowler was tied with Hossler before he hooked his drive into the water on 18, leading to bogey. He shot 68 to join Sam Ryder, Abraham Ancer and Nicholas Lindheim at 10 under.

Jordan Spieth’s putter heated up before his momentum stalled with a missed 3-footer on the 16th hole. He shot 67 and was two shots back as he seeks his first win of the season on the eve of the Masters. Spieth lost in a playoff in Houston in 2015 and went on to win the first of his three major titles the following week at Augusta National.

“From where I was three days ago, my goal [is] accomplished for the week already,” Spieth said. “So at this point anything else is icing on the cake. It was a round that could have been really special. But I don’t have to [shoot] 8 or 9 under.”

Phil Mickelson took the biggest step backward on 18. He was bogey-free for 17 holes and 8 under for the tournament before he found the water twice and made triple bogey.

Twenty-two players were within three shots of the lead. Paul Dunne, who finished his first-round 64 on Friday morning, was 9 under after a 71. Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar were among the dozen players at 8 under.