PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Perrine Delacour grabbed the Portland Classic lead Friday with another bogey-free round at Columbia Edgewater, shooting a 5-under 67 in perfect conditions a day after -opened with 63 in the rain.
“You have to adjust the pins, especially with the wedges,” Delacour said. “But it’s really nicer. I mean, even though the bag is still wet from yesterday, it’s really nicer to wear shorts and a polo instead of rain gear.”
Winless on the LPGA Tour, the 29-year-old Frenchwoman leads Linn Grant by one stroke heading into the weekend on the tree-lined layout south of the Columbia River.
“I’m just being patient,” said Delacour. “I mean, of course, from a leader on the first day, shooting 9 under, you know you don’t shoot twice on 9 under.”
Delacour has five top-10s in 11 seasons on the LPGA Tour, including her career-best third-place finish at the 2020 Women’s Australian Open.
“I’m the kind of person who overthinks,” Delacour said. “So, the goal is for me to do some things to keep my head busy and not think about golf.”
Grant, the 24-year-old Swede who won the Dana Open in July in Ohio for her first LPGA Tour title, followed an opening 65 with a 66 to get to 13 under.
“Obviously, it’s nicer to play today when the sun is out,” said Grant, the former Arizona State star who is set to represent Europe at the Solheim Cup. “I think yesterday, shooting like a minus-7 was a big advantage. It’s not always easy when it’s raining. I just tried to take that advantage and keep that for today.”
Megan Khang, coming off her first tour win on Sunday in Vancouver, British Columbia, is 12 under after her second 66.
“Just try to take advantage of some of the slower greens while you can,” said Khang, who had an eagle for the second straight day. “I know it’s going to heat up over the weekend, so just trying to set a good pace and try to keep it going.”
US Solheim Cup player wins Shaughnessy, another wood-lined gem designed by Columbia Edgewater architect AV Macan.
“It felt like a long week,” Khang said. “But overall I think I just came into this week kind of going, ‘Hey, the game is in a good place.’ Mentally a bit tired, but sometimes that can be a good thing.”
Monday’s qualifier Chanettee Wannasaen (66) was 10 under with Ally Ewing (65), Elizabeth Szokol (66), Charley Hull (67), Ruoning Yin (64), Madelene Sagstrom (67) and Gina Kim (70) ).
The 19-year-old Wannasaen has missed nine straight cuts in LPGA Tour play. He lost in a playoff to Yue Ren last week in Idaho at the Epson Tour’s Circling Raven Championship.
Columbia Edgewater member Caroline Inglis is 8 under after a 66. The former University of Oregon player lives across the river in Vancouver, Washington.
“It’s always fun to come back here and have all my friends and family watching,” Inglis said. “This year was a little bit weird because the course played like it was January because it was so wet.”
Second-ranked Nelly Korda is also 8 under after a 71.
Defending champion Andrea Lee and two-time winner Brooke Henderson are in the 7 under group. Lee had a 71, and Henderson shot a 68.
Top-ranked Lilia Vu had a 69 to go 4 under. He tied for third last year.
Lexi Thompson missed by one stroke, 72-69. She’s outside the top 150 in the Race to CME Globe and likely won’t keep her full LPGA card for next year at this rate.
Oregon State player Kyra Ly dropped rounds of 74 and 71.