World No 1 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.
South Korea’s Ko, 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.
