Golf: Canadian Alena Sharp ties for Manulife LPGA Classic LPGA lead, despite calling penalty on herself

Alena Sharp hits her tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Manulife LPGA Classic on June 9, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO (REUTERS) - Canadian Alena Sharp called a penalty on herself during the second round at the Manulife LPGA Classic but still managed to grab a share of the halfway lead in Cambridge, Ontario 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, Sharp 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 on a crowded leaderboard.

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.

First-round leader Suzann Pettersen had a 71 to total 135 while Lee Mi Hyang, who had tied Pettersen after the first day, had a 72 to lie one shot behind. World No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn carded a 70 to lie on 137.

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