On the links

On the links

Friday’s pro golf results

PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF.

Sung Kang of South Korea had to scramble for par on the last hole Friday to set the course record at Monterey Peninsula with an 11-under 60. It gave him a share of the lead with Hiroshi Iwata, with Phil Mickelson in contention again at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. On another gorgeous day, Mickelson and Kang each raised talk about a 59. Kang thought the course was a par 72, so a 59 never crossed his mind standing on the par-3 ninth hole. Mickelson was 7 under through 10 holes at Monterey Peninsula, with a pair of par 5s among the eight holes he had remaining. He made bogey on one of them, then bogeyed his last hole for a 65. Mickelson goes to Pebble Beach on Saturday as he goes after a record-tying fifth win in this event. Iwata had a 66 at Pebble Beach. Mickelson, Freddie Jacobson (69 at Spyglass Hill) and Chez Reavie (70 at Pebble Beach) were one shot to par behind at 10 under, while Justin Rose had a 68 at Monterey Peninsula and was at 9 under. Jordan Spieth failed to birdie any of the par 5s at Monterey Peninsula — he is 1 under on the par 5s this week even though he could reach all of them in two shots — and his round of two birdies and 16 pars put him at 3-under 140 and eight shots out of the lead.

CHUBB CLASSIC

NAPLES, FLA.

Bernhard Langer shot a 10-under 62 to take a four-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Chubb Classic at TwinEagles. Langer made 11 birdies, including five straight birdies on Nos. 3-7 and Nos. 14-18. The 58-year-old German star went on to win in 2013 after also opening with a 62. In the past seven years in Naples, Langer has two victories, two seconds, a tie for third and a tie for fourth. Jay Haas was second. Jeff Maggert was third at 67, and Fred Couples was at 68 along with Kenny Perry Kevin Sutherland, Steve Lowery, Scott Hoch and Michael Allen.

NEW ZEALAND WOMEN’S OPEN

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 3-under 69 on Friday and was three shots off the lead and in a tie for fifth place after the first round of the New Zealand Women’s Open. The 18-year-old South Korean-born New Zealander, defending her national title, sank a 20-foot put on the 18th hole for the fifth birdie of an opening round which also included two bogeys and left her within reach of the lead held by Norway’s Nicole Broch Larsen at Clearwater Golf Club. Larsen was a stroke ahead of Justine Dreher of France in the 54-hole tournament co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour. Gwladys Nocera of France and Scotland’s Pamela Pretswell were tied for third, two behind Larsen, after 68s. Ko, who started her round with a birdie at the 10th, said she didn’t fully exploit warm and calm conditions during her morning round, particularly on the greens.

TSHWANE OPEN

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA

South African star Charl Schwartzel shot a 6-under 64 to pull within two strokes of leader Anthony Michael in the suspended second round of the European Tour’s Tshwane Open. Michael had a 69 to reach 7 under before thunderstorm and then hail forced the suspension of play at Pretoria Country Club. American Daniel Im was tied for third at 4 under after a 68.

Associated Press