Coughlin clings on to 1-shot lead

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) — Lauren Coughlin, seeking her first LPGA title, birdied three of the first five holes and clung to a one-stroke lead after Friday’s second round of the Canadian Women’s Open.

The 31-year-old American grinded out pars in windy conditions to fire a two-under par 70 and stand on six-under 138 after 36 holes at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary.

“I hung in there and got a good round out of it,” Coughlin said.

“I think I handled it really well overall. I putted extremely well. My speed control was on pretty much all day.”

Australia’s Hannah Green also shot 70 to share second on 139 with South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran with a fourth-place pack on 141 including Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Lilia Vu and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

Coughlin, who fired a 68 on Thursday for a one-stroke lead, birdied the par-5 first hole and added back-to-back birdies at the par-5 fourth and par-3 fifth holes.

“It felt good to get the birdies in to start. Took advantage of the par-5s there,” Coughlin said.

“The crosswinds were so difficult and they had a lot of back right pins and the wind was coming hard off the right. It’s just so hard to aim far enough to get it to stay on the right level.”