(Reuters) – Lilia Vu took advantage of soft conditions to move to the top the Chevron Championship leaderboard on Friday after the start of second round play at the year’s first women’s major was delayed by two hours due to heavy rain.
Vu began the day one behind overnight leader Chien Peiyun, carding a three-under 69 at a soggy Club at Carlton Woods near Houston to take the clubhouse lead one clear of major winners world number two Nelly Korda and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit.
“Really happy to finish today,” said American Vu, the world number 12. “I think the weather was pretty nice for us, no rain, just a little bit of wind.
“I’m happy, and then just going to go home and see my physio and get ready for tomorrow.”
Korda, hunting a second major following her triumph at the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship, had another rollercoaster day, mixing five birdies with three bogeys for a two-under 70.
“There are bogeys out there and you try to minimise your mistakes as much as possible,” said Korda.
“I was punching the air a couple of times after my two three-putts, which are kind of stupid mistakes, but you just kind of have to stay mentally tough and know that there are some birdie opportunities as well.”
Tavatanakit, who led wire-to-wire winning the 2021 Chevron, then known as the ANA Inspiration, posted the best early round of the day by returning a five-under 67 highlighted by five birdies in a bogey free outward nine and a birdie-birdie finish.
Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho saw her hope of a repeat all but disappear with a six-over 78 that included a triple-bogey, double-bogey and three bogeys against two birdies.
The round left the American on six-over for the tournament well adrift of the projected one-over cut.
Taiwan’s Chien, the world’s 189th-ranked player, was the surprise leader after round one and among the late starters on Friday along with world number one Lydia Ko.
Vu, already with a win this season, got off to a blazing start by knocking down four birdies on her outward nine, highlighted by three straight from the seventh.
But the American stalled after the turn with three bogeys offset by two birdies, including one at the last to finish on a positive note.
Second round play is expected to spill over into Saturday after more than two inches (5 cm) of rain dropped on the Jack Nicklaus designed layout overnight.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)
