CARLSBAD, Calif. – Jenny Shin took the lead Friday in the LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic, a stroke ahead of top-ranked Lydia Ko and Brittany Lang.
Shin birdied five of her first eight holes and had a 7-under 65 to reach 10-under 134 at Aviara in the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week in Rancho Mirage. The 23-year-old South Korean player is winless on the LPGA Tour.
Ko shot a 67, and Lang had a 68. The 18-year-old Ko was second Sunday in Phoenix in the Founders Cup.
Second-ranked Inbee Park and fellow South Korean player Hyo Joo Kim were 8 under. Park had a 69, and Kim shot a 66.
Canadian Brooke Henderson shot up the leaderboard and is tied for 29th after shooting a 70. The Smiths Falls, Ont., native is 1 under for the tournament.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Maude-Aimee Leblanc, of Sherbrooke, Que., missed the cut.