Australia's Hannah Green continued her stellar play on Friday at the Symetra Tour's IOA Golf Classic at Alaqua Country Club with a bogey-free seven-under, 64 to lead as play was called for the night at 4:55 p.m.
Kiwi Liv Cheng is in second place at 6-under, 65 and four players are in the clubhouse at 5-under, 66.
Thunderstorms wrecked havoc on afternoon play and the first-round did not finish. Rain first started around 1:45 p.m. and play was halted at 2:03 as greens began to puddle. Play was suspended for 30 minutes. Players returned to the course until another cell moved in and horns blew again at 4:02 p.m.
The first-round will resume at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 30 while the second-round will begin no earlier than 1:00 p.m.
Green, 20, putted out on the 18th hole just as the rain was beginning to fall. She started the day with four pars and then got hot with birdies on holes five, six and seven. After a par on eight, she ended the front with a birdie on nine. Green made a birdie on 13 and then made back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 before a par on 18.
“I didn’t miss a green today and that was my goal because I know the greens are quite small compared to last week,” said Green, who has already wrapped up her LPGA Tour card for 2018. “I gave myself a lot of opportunities and to convert seven birdies, I was pretty happy with my round.”
Green won the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout two weeks ago and finished in a tie for fifth last week at the Guardian Championship. She has amassed $82,544 in 18 starts.
“This is probably the best I’ve played over a stretch of three tournaments,” said Green. “I’m just really comfortable with how I am hitting it and I’m hitting spots on the greens where I want to roll it. I hope I can continue it for the next couple days and next week."
Green says she’s really just trying to maintain her swing over the final few weeks of the season.
“My swing can change drastically from day-to-day and that is a long-term thing that I’m working on,” admitted Green. “Luckily I have Paul (caddy) and my dad here and they know what I am working on so that is always handy.”
Green has had her father Tau, with her the last four weeks and hopes to have both parents join her on the LPGA in 2018. “I’m starting to think like two more events and then I’m on the LPGA,” said Green. “I just want to knuckle down these last two, but it is slowly starting to sink in.”
MEANWHILE Spain's Belen Mozo leads the Women's New Zealand Open by five shots through two rounds after a brilliant second round 64 that included a hole-in-one.