DUBAI: In-Kyung Kim shot a 5-under 67 Friday to take a three-stroke lead through three rounds of the Dubai Ladies Masters.
Kim, who is at 202 overall, leads Anna Nordqvist (65) by three and Maria Hjorth (67) by four at the Emirates Golf Club. Michelle Wie (71) is in a four-way tie for fourth at 208.
Kim, a South Korean who is also an accomplished ballet dancer, made her only bogey of the day on the eighth hole.
“Even though I am ahead, I have got to play my game,” Kim said. “I have to play what the golf course gives me and go out there and have some fun. Nothing is easy, so I better go and have a good sleep.” Nordqvist, who turned pro after winning the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School in January this year and then won the LPGA Championship, threatened the course record. But a birdie attempt on the 17th fell short and another on the par-5 18th lipped out.
Martin holds lead
Leopard Creek, South Africa, Spain’s Pablo Martin eagled the final hole in gathering dusk to claim a four-stroke lead after the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Friday.
Martin’s nine-under round of 63 took him to 13-under in the 2010 European Tour opener. That put him four strokes clear of morning starters Ernie Els of South Africa and Italian Edoardo Molinari.
Martin, 23, opened with two straight birdies and added more at the sixth, ninth and eleventh before registering a hat trick of birdies from the 13th. His only bogey came at the eighth while at the par-five 18th he put a three-iron to nine feet and holed the eagle putt.
Home favorite Els followed up his first-round 68 with a 67, mixing eight birdies and three birdies.
Argentina’s Ariel Canete, South African Charl Schwartzel and Sweden’s Pelle Edberg are tied at eight-under-par along with first-round leader Ulrich van den Berg of South Africa.
Griffin
on top
Coolum, Australia, former top junior Matthew Griffin held a one shot lead after the second round of the Australian PGA golf championship Friday as the cream of Australian golf began to make their moves. Griffin, 26, fired a three-under-par 68 to move to seven under the card, one ahead of defending champion Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby and Jason Norris, who almost died at this tournament two years ago when he crashed his bicycle late at night.
Overnight leader Han Min-Kyu from Korea was a shot further back after shooting a four-over 75, 13 strokes worse than his opening round 62.
Han was alongside Australians Scott Strange and Bronson La’Cassie, while Adam Scott, Robert Allenby and Greg Chalmers were well within striking distance at four under.
Han began steadily and opened with eight straight pars before the pressure began to tell.
After making nine birdies on day one, he could only manage one in the second round to go with five bogeys.
Griffin, once ranked as the number three junior in the world, said he would be living his dream on Saturday.
