BELMONT, Mich. (AP) Defending champion Lexi Thompson fought through back pain Friday to take the second-round lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The 21-year-old Thompson shot a 4-under 67, rebounding from bogeys on 15 and 16 with birdies on the final two holes to reach 10-under 132 at Blythefield.
Canada's Alena Sharp bogeyed her final hole to drop into a tie for second with South Korean players In Gee Chun, So Yeon Ryu and Q Baek. They all shot 67.
Thompson won the Honda LPGA Thailand in February for her seventh LPGA Tour title. The long-hitting Florida player, ranked fourth in the world, also won a Japan LPGA event last month. The back pain could be a major concern heading into the busy summer schedule and golf's return to the Olympics.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko and No. 2 Brooke Henderson, coming off a playoff victory over Ko in the KPMG Women's PGA, were together at 7 under after matching rounds of 68.
