Jang leads Ko at LPGA finale; Icher playing for France

Ko has fired a five-under par 67 to move into lone second at eight-under par and just two shots off the lead of Korea’s Ha Na Jang.

Ko took a bogey at the par-3 fifth but birdied the par-5 sixth and added birdies at the par-3 12th and par-5 14th and 17th holes to join a pack on 69 with American Alison Lee and South Koreans I.K. Kim and Jang Ha Na.

Ko rallied by picking up birdies at the last two holes, but the damage had been done in the previous two holes, leaving Jang two strokes clear with 36 holes remaining.

Jang has never won on the LPGA Tour, but has been knocking on the door, with three runner-up finishes during 2015.

Kim was another shot back, along with a fivesome of Americans – Jennifer Song, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome, Jaye Marie Green and Gerina Piller. Ko, Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis would all capture that bonus by winning the season finale; Park struggled with the Bermuda greens and shot 71, while Lewis opened her last chance at winning a tournament this year with a 72.

Ernst shot a 6-under 66 at Tiburon Golf Club, one shot better than South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee.

Either Ko or Park would clinch The Race To The CME Globe, which carries a $1 million bonus, with victory this week where the winner’s cheque is for $500,000.

“It’s not easy out there”, she said”. “All we can do is just think of them, pray for them and thats it. Its really sad, but unfortunately I think its only the beginning and its really scary. “Obviously to get a round like that, where I get confidence with my putter, that’s normally when I have my good weeks”.

Ko, 18, had to hit a provisional on No. 1, but found her ball, punched out and made par.

“The lucky thing for me is that 17 is a birdie-able hole if you hit a few good shots and I took advantage of that”, Ko said. For the New Zealander to go into the off-season with them all she needs is to finish two shots ahead of Park.

“In the Marathon Classic, I played a playoff with Chella Choi…” Lewis is ranked No. 3 despite having no tourney wins.

Jang shot the round of the day, with eight birdies and one bogey. “It seems like she’s doing really well”.

“It would be nice”, Icher said, “just for France”.