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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Golf Capsules: Justin Thomas shoots course record 61 at CIMB Classic

The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas shot a course-record 11-under 61 on Friday in oppressive tropical heat to take a one-stroke lead in the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic.

Thomas eagleed the par-5 third hole and had nine birdies to reach 15-under 129 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Nick Watney also shot a 61 in 2012, but that was at a different course with a par of 71.

Brendan Steele was second after a 63.

First-round leader Scott Piercy followed his opening 62 with a 69 to join Spencer Levin (64) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (66) at 13 under.

Adam Scott was 10 under after a 66. Two-time defending champion Ryan Moore was 8 under after a 69.

The event also is sanctioned by the Asian Tour.

BLUE BAY LPGA

HAINAN ISLAND, China – South Korea’s Sei Young Kim took advantage of Chinese teen Lin Xi-yu’s wind-blown collapse to take the lead Friday in the Blue Bay LPGA.

Kim made a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for an even-par 72 in difficult conditions along the South China Sea at Jian Lake Blue Bay.

The 22-year-old Kim had a 2-under 142 total. She won playoffs this year in the Bahamas and Hawaii in events also played in strong wind on tropical seaside layouts.

The 19-year-old Lin opened with a 67 to take the first-round lead and was 7 under and five strokes ahead after five holes. She bogeyed eight of the last 13 holes for a 77 that left her two strokes behind.

She was one of many to struggle on a day when only five off the 78 players broke par and the scoring average soared to 75.464. Top-ranked Lydia Ko was tied for 47th at 8 over after a 75.

Norway’s Suzann Pettersen had the best round of the day, a 3-under 69 to jump from a tie for 22nd to a tie for second at 1 under with Taiwan’s Candie Kung and Americans Ryann O’Toole and Austin Ernst.

TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN

ANTALYA, Turkey – South Africa’s Jaco van Zyl held on to the Turkish Airlines Open lead, following his opening 11-under 61 with a 69 at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

Van Zyl stretched his lead to seven shots during the second round with five birdies on his first 10 holes. But he then found the water twice for his first two bogeys of the week, letting Englishmen Richard Bland (65) and Chris Wood (66) to close within two shots. Van Zyl had a 14-under 130 total.

France’s Victor Dubuisson (64) and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti (66) were 11 under, and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (67) was another stroke back along with France’s Alexander Levy (65).

TOSHIBA CLASSIC

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Former UCLA players Scott McCarron and Steve Pate shared the lead at 8-under 63 on Friday after the first round of the Champions Tour’s Toshiba Classic.

McCarron is making his eighth start on the tour after turning 50 in July. The three-time PGA Tour winner eagled the par-5 15th and had six birdies and an eagle at Newport Beach Country Club.

The 54-year-old Pate eagled the par-5 third and had five birdies. He won six times on the PGA Tour.

Billy Andrade and Rod Spittle were a stroke back in the final full-field event of the season. Defending champion Fred Couples was two shots behind at 65 along with Kevin Sutherland, Paul Goydos, Jay Don Blake, Olin Browne, Scott Dunlap and Peter Senior.

The top 30 on the money after the tournament will qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona.