AFP, San Francisco :
American Danielle Kang fired seven birdies in a six-under par 66 on Friday to grab a one-shot lead halfway through the LPGA Mediheal Championship at Lake Merced Golf Club.
Kang started the day six shots behind overnight leader Leona Maguire, but climbed steadily with birdies at the third, eighth and ninth holes and two more at the 14th and 15th.
She bounced back from her lone bogey of the day at 16 with a birdie at the par-five 18th for a 36-hole total of seven-under 137.
Kang, who finished tied for 35th in the US Women’s Open at nearby Olympic Club last week, said the warmer weather this week had helped her.
“I play well in really hot weather,” said the world number six, who is seeking a sixth LPGA title. “Evidently, cold weather has not been my forte, but today weather was on my side.”
That doesn’t mean Lake Merced didn’t pose plenty of challenges, particularly its poa annua greens.
“I actually played really well from the beginning, better than I did on the back nine,” Kang said. “I just couldn’t quite get the ball to the hole, but I knew I was putting well.
“The greens are slick and fast, and being poa, it’s just a little scary,” she added. “You have to trust your lines, and that’s what I’ve been doing. (I) just kept putting the way I did and (they) started dropping on the back nine.”
Seven-under was where Ireland’s Maguire started the day, but she faded fast with bogeys at the first three holes.
