Chinese rookie seizes LPGA lead

NEW YORK (AFP) — Chinese rookie Miranda Wang birdied the last three holes to seize a two-stroke lead when darkness halted Friday’s storm-hit second round of the LPGA FM Championship at TPC Boston.

The 26-year-old LPGA newcomer, who played collegiate golf in the United States, birdied three of the first four holes then closed with birdies at the par-three 16th, par-four 17th and par-five 18th.

That was enough for her to shoot a five-under par 67 and stand on 11-under 133 for 36 holes, two strokes ahead of Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom when sunset ended a stop-and-start day with half the field of 144 still on the course

“It was really discontinuous,” Wang said. “It shows three birdies in a row, but for me it was like one shot at time, and also with all the stops in the way I was just trying to hit as good as I can.”

Three total stoppages for heavy rain and lightning kept players scrambling.