Stephanie Meadow shares ninth place – five off the pace – on the Kia Classic

Meadow & # 39; s round on Friday including 16 pars

Stephanie Meadow shares ninth place, five shots off the pace, after a level par 72 in the second round at the Kia Classic in California.

Meadow, who was in second place after an opening 67 at the LPGA event, produced a steady but not spectacular round of one birdie, one bogey and 16 pars.

The Northern Irish woman is five behind Sung Hyun Park in South Korea and Thidipa in Thailand Suwannapura.

Meadow is 101st in the LPGA ranking after playing three events this season.

Her best end came in her previous tournament when she shared 40th in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup.

Meadow got her LPGA Tour card back in October after spending a year on the second-layer Symetra Tour after a low back-strain.

The resident of Jordanstown made her mark on the professional game four years ago with a third place in her first major, the 2014 Women & # 39; s Open 2014.

After an appearance on she fought for shape at the Rio Olympics before losing her Tour membership due to her injury.

Mel Reid from England shares the ninth spot with Reid after a 69 on Friday.

Reid's compatriots Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Bronte Law are three shots farther back after firing rounds of 70.

2017 US Women & # 39; s Open Champion Park and Suwannapura lead former number one of the world Inbee Park and its Korean countryman Chella Choi are three times as fast together with the Australian Minjee Lee and the Colombian Mariajo Uribe.