COQUITLAM, B.C. — Candie Kung is looking to end a long slump.
Kung, who hasn't won an LPGA Tour since 2008, shot a blistering 64 Friday afternoon to move into the lead at the Canadian Pacific Women's Open. She had an eagle and six birdies to tie the course record on the 6,681-yard, par-72 Vancouver Golf Club and leads the field at 11 under.
"I've been working hard lately," said Kung, who was born in Taiwan but now lives in Texas. "I guess it was a slump that I had.
"I just got caught up in life a little bit. Now I feel like I can get back into it again, play some golf, have some fun."
Kung holds a two-stroke lead over France's Karine Icher and two-time Canadian Open champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand.
"I have not looked at the leaderboard," shrugged Kung, who finished second at the 2009 U.S. Women's Open. "I really don't care who is behind me.
"I'm just going to go out there, play one shot at a time . . . see what happens."
Ko shot a bogey-free 68 during the afternoon while Icher shot a 2-under 70 during the morning. Both are 9 under.
Ko played a tidy round that saw her card four birdies. On No. 17 she hit her drive into a bunker but made a textbook shot out of the sand to land on the green and make par. She then birdied the 18th.
"I got maybe in trouble a couple of times but was able to recover well," said Ko, who was 15 when she won her first tournament on this course in 2012 as an amateur. "I didn't really have that many really tough positions.
"It's good to finish well."
At the 2013 CP Open held in Edmonton, Icher finished second to Ko. Since Ko was an amateur, Icher collected the first-prize money of US$300,000.
"She won, but I took the cheque," said Icher. "Now she's a pro, so I think if she wins, she takes the cheque. She is not going to give it to me."
Ko laughed when asked if she would share any winnings with Icher.
"I don't know who is going to be the winner," she said. "My first goal is to just play well."
This year's tournament has a US$2.25-million purse with the winner collecting US$337,500.
After going bogey free in an opening-round 65, Icher had two bogeys on Friday.
"It's tough greens," said Icher, who now lives in Orlando, Fla. "They are super hilly. You have to choose the right club.
"With the wind it was more difficult today to find the right club. It's still a good day."
China's Xi Yu Lin used a six iron to score a hole-in-one on the 168-yard, par-3 seventh hole. She finished with a 66 and sits along in fourth place at 8 under.
"It's my first hole-in-one in a tournament," said the 19-year-old from Guangzhou. "I had one in a practice round before, but it was only me, nobody really saw it.
"So this time, lots of people saw it."
Hamilton's Alena Sharp shot four birdies for an even-par 72 and remains the top Canadian at 1 under.
"I feel great," said Sharp, who now lives in Orlando. "I haven't made the cut at the Canadian Open I think since 2009, so it's been a long time.
"I played well the last two days. I left some shots out there, but I have lots to look forward to on the weekend."
Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., had five bogeys, including a pair back-to-back, to shot a 75, leaving her at 1 over. She made the cut and thinks with a few improvements she can advance up the leaderboard Saturday.
"If I just go and focus on my ball-striking and a little bit of pace putting tomorrow, I think good things will happen," she said.
Henderson became the youngest Canadian to win an LPGA or PGA event with her victory last weekend at the Cambia Portland Classic.
Also making the cut was Maude-Aimee Leblanc, of Sherbrooke, Que., who carded a 71 to finish at 1 over.
