K J Choi of Korea hits a tee shot on the seventh hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on Friday in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Reuters/South Carolina

South Korean K J Choi wielded a hot putter to vault into the lead before torrential rain and strong winds halted the second round at the $5.8mn RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Friday.
Choi made use of his advantageous early tee time, holing out three times from outside 20 feet on his way to a four-under-par 67 to post a five-under 137 halfway total at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island.
Competition was stopped just before 3 p.m. with half the field still on the course and the round was rescheduled for completion early Saturday, weather permitting.
Australian Robert Allenby was best of those whose rounds were interrupted, one stroke behind Choi after completing just five holes.
Joint first round leader Matt Kuchar endured a nightmare start, making two double-bogeys in six holes to plunge four strokes behind Choi.
“I’m very happy finishing before the rain,” Choi told PGATour.com. “Even in the morning it’s very tough, wind blowing. Today the putting, I make a lot.”
Choi, 43, has won eight times on the PGA Tour, though only once since 2008.
His halfway score was two shots better than Englishman Luke Donald (69) and Americans Billy Hurley (69) and Scott Langley (73).
Former world number one Donald is ideally suited to the tight Harbour Town course, where precision is more important than power.
He has a remarkable record, albeit without winning, having finished second or third four times in the past five years.
“If I’d got hot with the putter it could have been really special but still a very solid round and glad I’m done,” said Donald.
“You’ve got to keep it in play and plot your way around this course. That’s why I’ve had some success here. “It’s not a course you can overpower and you need to be proficient around the greens. I hit 15 greens and with these small greens it’s a job well done.”
Masters runner-up Jordan Spieth endured a tough morning, falling six strokes from the lead with a 74 that included a double-bogey at the par-four 18th, where he three-putted from 10 feet.
Bill Haas, the early leader at the Masters last week, withdrew before the second round, citing a wrist injury.


Stanford seizes command at LPGA Hawaii event

Angela Stanford, seeking her sixth career victory, fired a five-under par 67 on Friday to seize a four-stroke lead after the third round of the $1.7mn US LPGA Lotte Championship.
The veteran US player stood on 13-under par 203 after 54 holes with South Korean Kim Hyo-Joo and home-state hero Michelle Wie sharing second on 207. American Cristie Kerr was another shot adrift.
In windy conditions, Stanford had back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth holes and added another at the seventh.
“It’s hard for everybody. You really have to be patient,” Stanford said of the wind.
Stanford, who has won five of 10 prior events when leading after 54 holes, began the back nine with a bogey but followed with birdies on the next three holes.
“I kind of found something and for some reason I have been able to read these greens. It has been fun to watch the ball go in.”
Wie finished with a bogey to miss a chance to stand second alone. She made birdies and the third and sixth holes and followed a bogey at the seventh with a birdie at the eighth and another at 11.
“I’m proud of the way I hit the ball,” Wie said. “I’m glad I have one more day. I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow. I just have to go out there and make a lot of birdies.”