MIAMI (USA): World number one Ko Jin-young fired five birdies in a five-under-par 67 on Friday to seize a one-stroke lead over Kim Sei-young and Lexi Thompson in the LPGA Tour Championship.
The South Korean, playing just her fourth LPGA event of the pandemic-disrupted season, had a 36-hole total of nine-under par 135.
With a $1.1 million winner’s prize on offer, Ko could end up topping the 2020 money list with a victory despite making so few starts. She wasn’t even assured a place in the Tour Championship until she tied for second in the US Women’s Open last week.
However, she was trying to focus on her game, rather than the trophy or the fact that one of her closest pursuers, Kim, is also chasing her for the world number one ranking.
“World ranking, my opinion is it’s just (doing) little things to play golf,” she said. “So if I play good I can do world ranking No. 1 still. If not and then she plays good she can do it … it doesn’t really matter.”
The second-placed duo comprised the last two winners of the season-ending event at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida: 2019 champion Kim and 2018 winner Thompson.
Kim signed for a second-round 69 while overnight leader Thompson, seeking a first victory of 2020, carded a 71.
Ko, three adrift to start the day, gained steam with birdies at the sixth and 10th, then picked up three strokes in the space of four holes with birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th.
