Up and down Park holds onto lead

South Korea's Inbee Park put in an inconsistent round but managed to hold onto her overnight lead in the Rio Olympics women's golf tournament.
Park shot a one-under 70 in difficult, windy conditions, making a fantastic start to the day by carding birdies on the first, third and fifth holes.
The world number five would start to waver, though, dropping five shots on the last 12 holes while managing a further three birdies to scrape in under par.
After a slow start to the tournament, world number one Lydia Ko now looks like a serious gold medal contender. She carded a six-under 65 to move within two strokes of the leader and a share of second place.
The highlight of the round had to be Ko's hole-in-one on the eighth hole, as she joined China's Xi Yu Lin in acing the 140-yard par 3.
Ko revealed it was the first time she had ever holed out from the tee: "To have my first hole-in-one at the Olympics is really cool. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it, especially with it being a pretty tough hole. I'll take that one."
Sharing second place with the Kiwi is America's Gerina Piller, who carded a three-under 68.
Piller was four under after the front nine but a birdie at the sixteenth was sandwiched between bogeys on the 12th and 18th holes.
Shanshan Feng is all alone in fourth, the Chinese golfer shot a three-under 68 to leave herself with a shot at Olympic glory tomorrow.
Team GB's Charley Hull shares fifth place with the South Korean duo of In Gee Chun and Amy Yang. Despite carding a disappointing three-over 74, the Englishwoman will feel she still has a shot at a medal.
Chun had an equally forgettable round, carding a one-over 72, while Yang finished with two birdies to just end the day under par with a 70.
Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, who held the first-round lead, was forced to withdraw with a knee injury.
Latest
-
News
Rory McIlroy leads the way in Abu Dhabi as he eyes overdue victory
McIlroy will have to keep his Ryder Cup team-mates at bay if he is to claim the trophy.
-
News
Tyrrell Hatton dominant as Rory McIlroy falters in Abu Dhabi
Hatton led by five shots at the end of a second weather-affected day.
-
News
Phil Mickelson on Tiger’s latest surgery: ‘I feel bad because golf should be a game of a lifetime’
Mickelson admitted he was saddened by the news of Woods’ latest back surgery.
-
News
Rory McIlroy makes brilliant start to fog-affected Abu Dhabi Championship
McIlroy has a remarkable record in Abu Dhabi with four second-place finishes.
-
News
Rory McIlroy shines in Abu Dhabi to take first-round lead following flawless 64
McIlroy has a remarkable record in Abu Dhabi with four second-place finishes, three thirds and a fifth in his last nine starts, but has never won.
-
News
Justin Thomas on end of Ralph Lauren deal: ‘They moved on so that’s what I’m doing as well’
Justin Thomas said he was upset by...
-
News
My last win feels a long time ago – Rory McIlroy aiming to start year on a high
McIlroy has not tasted victory since November 2019.
-
News
Rory McIlroy insists Justin Thomas will ‘try to be better’ after homophobic slur
World number three Thomas was heard using a derogatory word towards himself after missing a par putt in Hawaii.
-
News
Rory McIlroy sad to miss Conor McGregor fight
Rory McIlroy has been to UFC star Conor Mcgregor’s last three fights but will miss Saturday’s clash due to European Tour commitments.
-
News
Rory McIlroy backs Tiger Woods to make quick recovery from latest back surgery
McIlroy expects the American to be fit for the Masters in April.