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Billy Hurley III’s fast start good for two-shot lead at CIMB Classic

Billy Hurley III checks the yardage boox with his caddie at No. 7 on Friday during the second round of the CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
(Stanley Chou / Getty Images)
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Billy Hurley III made six birdies on his front nine en route to his second straight five-under-par 67 and a two-shot lead after the second round of the CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A former U.S. Navy lieutenant who did active duty in the Persian Gulf from 2007-09, Hurley is chasing his first tour victory.

Kevin Streelman was second after a 68 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club in the event sanctioned by the PGA Tour and Asian Tour.

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Lee Westwood was seven under along with defending champion Ryan Moore, Sergio Garcia, Jeff Overton, Kevin Chappell, Seung-Yul Noh and Kevin Na.

Westwood, the Malaysian Open winner on the course in April, aced the 226-yard 11th and finished with a 65. Garcia, Chappell and Na had 68, and Moore, Noh and Overton shot 69.

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Jay Haas birdied four of the last six holes Friday for an eight-under 62 and a four-stroke lead in the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The 60-year-old Haas, the oldest player in field limited to the top 30 players on the money list, had his 38th straight round of par or better to break Loren Roberts’ tour record.

Haas won two weeks ago in North Carolina to become the 18th player to win a Champions Tour event at 60 or older. He has 17 victories on the 50-and-over tour after winning nine times on the PGA Tour.

Haas had a 12-under 128 total on Desert Mountain’s Cochise Course.

First-round leader Tom Pernice Jr. was second after a 67. Kenny Perry was third at six under after a 68.

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Fred Couples, the winner last year at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, was five under along with Michael Allen and Olin Browne. Couples shot 64, Allen 66, and Browne 67.

Bernhard Langer was tied for seventh at four under after a 70. Langer won the Charles Schwab Cup points title last week in San Antonio, has a tour-high five victories — two of them majors — and also has wrapped up the season money title with $2,916,189.

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Inbee Park shot a 10-under 62 at Miramar to take a three-stroke lead in the LPGA Taiwan Championship in Taipie, her first event since regaining the No. 1 spot in the world Monday.

The South Korean star played the first eight holes in 6 under, holing out from 82 yards for eagle on the par-four eighth and making five birdies and a bogey. She birdied four of the first six holes on the back nine and closed with three pars.

At 18-under 126, she matched the lowest 36-hole score in relation to par in LPGA history. The 10-under round matched the best to par on the tour this season.

Park won the LPGA Championship in August for her second victory of the year and fifth major title. Last year, she swept the first three majors and won six times.

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China’s Shanshan Feng was second after a 65.

South Korea’s Mirim Lee also shot a 62 to join third-ranked Lydia Ko, Azahara Munoz and Line Vedel at 10 under. Lee won the Reignwood LPGA Classic on Oct. 5 in China for her second victory of the year.

Ko had six straight birdies on Nos. 3-8 in a 65. The 17-year-old New Zealander won the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters in December at Miramar. Munoz, from Spain, had a 66. Vedel, from Denmark, shot 68.

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Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium made nine birdies on a soft Lake Malaren course for an eight-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead over Alexander Levy of France going into the weekend of the BMW Masters in Shanghai.

It was the latest step for Colsaerts regaining some form after going 75 tournaments worldwide since his last victory in 2012 at the World Match Play Championship. One of the longest hitters in the game, Colsaerts has been hitting it relatively straight at Lake Malaren, which is a dangerous combination.

He again took advantage of the par-five holes, making birdie on all four of them. Colsaerts is nine under on the par-fives this week. He was at 14-under 130.

Levy quickly expanded on his first-round lead with three birdies in the opening four holes. He made two more birdies in the middle of the back nine to try to keep pace with Colsaerts and wound up with a 66.

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Levy already has twice this year, including the Volvo China Open. His most recent win was in Portugal this month in an event shortened to 36 holes by rain.

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