Birdies give Kim 2-stroke lead in quest for first LPGA victory

Last update: November 13, 2009 - 12:40 AM

Song-Hee Kim shot a 7-under-par 65 on Thursday in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico, to take a two-stroke lead over Jiyai Shin, Paula Creamer and Mariajo Uribe -- and six-shot advantage over the top-ranked Ochoa.

Kim had six birdies on the first 10 holes at Guadalajara Country Club and also birdied the last to top the 36-player field. Winless in three seasons on the LPGA Tour, she's trying to become the ninth South Korean to win this year.

Shin, a three-time winner this season and the money leader, already has already won the rookie of the year award and leads Ochoa in the player of the year race.

Ochoa shot a 71, making three birdies and two bogeys on her home course.

"I have had a lot of chances this year," Kim said. "I think I didn't have luck and that is why I lost the wins. If I play well this week, I think I can win."

Catriona Matthew and Eun-Hee Ji opened with 68s, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang had 69s, and Michelle Wie, Katherine Hull and M.J. Hur shot 70s. Ai Miyazato, second on the money list, had a 71.

Australian Masters

American Jason Dufner topped the Australian Masters leaderboard halfway through the second round early Friday, shooting a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke advantage over late-starting Tiger Woods and five others.

Dufner bogeyed his final hole to finish at 7-under 137 at Kingston Heath in Melbourne, Australia. The former Auburn star is winless in three seasons on the PGA Tour.

Woods had a late tee time after opening with a 66.

Manny Villegas (68) and Ashley Hall (69) and Mathew Goggin (70) completed the second round at 6 under, while James Nitties and Brenden Grace had yet to tee off.

Children's Miracle Classic

Justin Rose shot a 7-under 65 to take the lead in the Children's Miracle Network Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Rose was bogey-free on a breezy day where a steady morning drizzle and temperatures dipping into the low 50s made greens soft but tough to reach. Upstart Rickie Fowler, Greg Owen and Casey Wittenberg were one shot back at Disney World in the final PGA Tour event of the season.

The 20-year-old Fowler is making only his third start since turning pro from Oklahoma State. He can join Woods as one of the few players to go from college to receiving full status on tour in the same year by earning enough money on sponsors exemptions.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Recent Sports stories

3A semis: Glencoe-Silver Lake 28, Mora 0 - November 13, 2009

3A semis: Glencoe-Silver Lake 28, Mora 0 - Glencoe-Silver Lake's eighth shutout of the season was typical of the team's objective in every game: to seize control as early as possible and never let it go. More