Sharp bluntly calls herself out but still leads

CAMBRIDGE (Ontario) • Canadian golfer Alena Sharp called a penalty on herself during the second round of the Manulife LPGA Classic but still managed to grab a share of the halfway lead on Friday.

She said the infraction happened after her ball had stopped in short grass, hard up against a collar of rough next to the third green at Whistle Bear.

"When I addressed my chip shot the ball moved," she told reporters.

"I don't think I completely grounded my club, but the way the rule reads, I was going to ground my club and the ball moved.

"I needed to call it on myself because I was going to be thinking about it all day. Two dimples, but it moved. I'm totally all about the rules and etiquette and I just would never not call it on myself when the ball moves like that."

After summoning a rules official to confirm the one-shot penalty, she duffed her chip and made a double bogey but she put the incident behind her to birdie the next hole en route to a six-under 66.

Sharp, who is still seeking her first LPGA victory, ended the day tied with American Lexi Thompson and South Korean Kim Hyo Joo at 12-under 132, one stroke clear of three others, including Chun In Gee (66) of South Korea.

The long-hitting Thompson made seven birdies, including four in a row from her second hole, on her way to a flawless 65, while Kim also had seven birdies in a 67.

World No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn (70) is tied for 20th on 137.

Over in Memphis, Chez Reavie fired three birdies and an eagle in a five-under 65 at the PGA St Jude Classic on Friday.

The American is in a three-way tie for the lead on nine-under 131 with Charl Schwartzel of South Africa and Colombian Sebastian Munoz. Schwartzel had five birdies and a bogey in his 66, while Munoz carded a 67 that featured four birdies and a bogey.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on June 11, 2017, with the headline Sharp bluntly calls herself out but still leads. Subscribe