Lydia in joint lead

World No. 1 Lydia Ko fired six birdies in a five-under 66 yesterday morning (Singapore time) to grab a share of the lead in the LPGA Marathon Classic at the halfway mark alongside Kim Hyo Joo.

South Korea's Kim, one of three players sharing the overnight lead, had four birdies in her 68 to join Ko on eight-under 134 on the Highland Meadows course in Sylvania, Ohio.

Kiwi Ko, who won the title here in 2014 for her second win as a professional, opened with a birdie at the 10th.

A bogey at 11 was followed by birdies at 14 and 17, and she birdied three holes on her inward run.

She and Kim, who opened the season with a victory in the Bahamas, were one stroke in front of South Korea's Jang Ha Na and American Alison Lee.

Lee birdied her last two holes to cap a 66 while Jang signed for a 67 that included four birdies and no bogeys.

A further stroke back were Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn (69), South Korea's Lee Mi Rim (70) and American Lee Lopez (66).

Brittany Lang, winner of the US Women's Open last week, carded a 69 that put her in a group sharing 16th place on 139.

- AFP.