Narin An leads CP Women’s Open second round

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Now it’s time for Narin An to rest. However, now is not the time for her to relax on the golf course.

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The 26-year-old South Korean LPGA Tour rookie produced a clean 65-under on Friday to take first place in the standings with a two-round total of 129 at the CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf club.

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Hye-Jin Choi, also of South Korea, and overnight leader Paula Reto of South Africa lurk just two strokes back.

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Choi rose through the ranks as a pair of par-5 eagles on his second nine and four more birdies on his way to a 63-for-131. Reto shot 2-under 69 on Friday.

Tied for fourth among players who completed the second round on Friday were Sarah Schmeizel (64) of the United States and Nasa Hataoka of Japan, whose 4-under 67 was a wild, up-and-down round with an eagle , five birdies, one bogey and one double-bogey.

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An early morning weather delay halted play for two hours, meaning the afternoon flurry of competitors couldn’t fully finish Friday’s round. Those who did not complete the full 18 were due to do so early on Saturday, when the field will be reduced to those tied for 70th or better and the third round draw will be made.

Tour officials have implemented a ‘preferred lies’ rule for the entire second round, allowing players to lift, clean and place golf balls on the fairway turf cut or on green collars .

Among those Canadians through two rounds, hometown favorite Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls shot a 68 for 137, despite bogeying par-5 on the last hole for the second straight day, while Alena Sharp of Hamilton had a 1 in 72 for 139, or three under par.

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The projected reduction for the weekend appeared to be heading for as little as two cents, which would be better than a low-ever hit for the CP Women’s Open in 2018 at Wascana Country Club in Regina.

Only after the cut will LPGA Tour officials be able to decide whether the third round will feature the originally planned format of duos starting with the No. 1 tee or move to trios starting with both No. 1 and #10.

Sunday’s final round will be played with lines in a split tee format and the tournament leaders will begin play just after 10 a.m. ET.

An’s previous best finish this year was third place at the JTBC Classic Presented by Barbasol in Carlsbad, Calif., in March. She finished one stroke behind Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, who won in the playoffs, and Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen.

More soon.