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South Korean Jang opens 4-shot lead at LPGA in Ocala

 
Published Jan. 30, 2015

OCALA — Ha Na Jang went from qualifier to leader in just a few days at the LPGA season opener.

And it surprised no one.

The 22-year-old South Korean, ranked 21st in the world, shot 7-under 65 in the second round of the Coates Golf Championship on Thursday, opening a four-shot lead over Stacy Lewis.

Jang has full status on tour. But because the opener isn't a full-field event, she had to qualify Saturday. Her extra time at Golden Golf & Ocala Equestrian Club paid dividends. She made one bogey in two rounds, responding to that miscue with birdies on two of the next three holes.

"I hope to play well these next two days so people get to know who I am," Jang said through an interpreter.

The start of the second round was delayed 90 minutes because of frost, and the interruption prevented 50 players from completing 18 holes. They will return this morning to finish.

Jang might not want to wait to get back on the course. She sank a curl-in, 25-footer on her final hole in near-dark conditions to get to 12-under 132.

Although Jang is technically a rookie, she has plenty of experience. Her best LPGA finish was third in the 2014 Evian Championship last year. She also won six tournaments in five seasons on the KLPGA Tour and finished tied for 42nd at the Korean Women's Open as a 12-year-old.

Lewis, one of three players to shoot 66 in the opening round, was 8 under after shooting 70.

"I just didn't play quite as well (Thursday)," said Lewis, the first American since Betsy King in 1993 to sweep the Rolex player of the year award, the Vare Trophy and the money list title last season.

World No. 2 Lydia Ko (69) and Azahara Munoz (71) were five back at 7 under. So were Angela Stanford and Austin Ernst, but they had holes to finish.

Much of the attention — the opener drew big crowds in horse country — was focused on players off the leaderboard.

Cheyenne Woods, niece of Tiger Woods, likely made the cut. She birdied No. 18 to shoot 71 and get to 4-over 148, which is expected to be safe. Woods is playing her first tournament with full-time status, although she got in on a sponsor's exemption because she didn't have enough priority to make the 120-player field. "It's definitely important for me to play well this week and get started off good," Woods said.

Paula Creamer (70—142) had no trouble with the par-3 sixth, a replica of No. 16 at Augusta National. Using a 5-iron from 162 yards, Creamer notched her second ace in tour play.