Late string of birdies gives Koepka lead

BRADENTON, Fla. — Brooks Koepka hit one his worst tee shots of the day that barely cleared the water on the 15th hole. That turned out to be the start of three straight birdies that led to a 6-under 66 and a one-shot lead Friday in the Workday Championship.

In some respects, that’s how his recent surge has been.

Coming off a pair of missed cuts, Koepka won the Phoenix Open to end an 18-month drought. And now he’s star ting to hit his stride with the first major of the year creeping up quickly.

Koepka hit a chip 9-iron to 6 feet for birdie on No. 15, nearly holed his wedge on the next hole and then birdied the par-5 17th with a splendid bunker shot across the ridges and down the slope to tap-in range.

He closed with a bogey by avoiding a deceptive pin near the water on the closing hole at The Concession. Koepka, who finished at 11under 133, had a one-shot lead over Cameron Smith, Billy Horschel and PGA champion Collin Morikawa, who made up ground quick with six birdies over his last 10 holes.

SORENSTAM GETS 2 MORE DAYS ON TOUR

ORLANDO, Fla. — Annika Sorenstam went more than 12 years without playing on the LPGA Tour. Now she gets two more days.

Sorenstam made three birdies after making the turn at Lake Nona and posted a 1-under 71 in the Gainbridge LPGA.

And even with the wrong ruling the previous day that led to an extra stroke, she still made the cut on the number.

She still was 12 shots out of the lead as L ydia Ko posted a 3-under 69 and took a one-shot lead over Nelly Korda (68).

WU LEADS AT WINDY PUERTO RICO OPEN

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Brandon Wu birdied the final two holes for a 5-under 67 and the secondround lead in the PGA Tour’s Puer to Rico Open.

Wu played the back nine in 4 under at windy Grand Reser ve.

He birdied the par-4 12th, par-5 15th, par-4 17th and par-5 18th to reach 11-under 133.