Kim Hangs onto Lead at Lorena Ochoa Invitational


After opening with a 7-under 65, Christina Kim carded a 69 Friday to maintain her lead in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. The $1 million LPGA Tour event began Thursday at Club de Golf Mexico in Mexico City.

The 30-year-old Kim started her second round quickly, posting three birdies in the first four holes. But the native of San Jose, Calif., bogeyed the seventh and ninth, both par-4s, before coming home with two birdies to take a one-stroke lead over fellow American Paula Creamer.

The 28-year-old Creamer enjoyed a flawless second round, a 65 that included four birdies on the front side and another three on the home half for the day's low score.

While Kim is going for her first win since the 2005 Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions, Creamer earned her 10th LPGA title in March at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore in dramatic fashion, holing a 75-foot eagle putt be beat Spain's Azahara Munoz on the second playoff hole.

Trailing Kim by three are Norway's Suzann Pettersen (66), Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum (68) and New Zealand's Lydia Ko (69). Five back are China's Shanshan Feng (67), South Korea's So Yeon Ryu (69) and American Gerina Piller (70).

No. 1-ranked Inbee Park carded her second straight 70 and is six shots behind Kim in the 36-player, 72-hole tournament. Tied for 11th at 141 are Denmark's Line Vedel (68) and Americans Brittany Lincicome (71) and Lizette Salas (72).

Michelle Wie rebounded from an opening 73 with a 69, while No. 2-ranked Stacy Lewis improved six strokes with a 70 after starting with a 76.

Ko entered the tournament ranked third behind Lewis and Park in the Race to the CME Globe. The LPGA Tour's 2014 season will conclude next week with the CME Globe Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Wie is fourth in the points' standings.

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.