Olympic golf tournament might be cut short as Canada's Henderson, Sharp improve 2nd round

Canada's Brooke Henderson had a better executed second round of the Olympic golf tournament on Thursday, shooting a three-under 68 to climb up the standings at the Kasumigaseki Country Club.

But she might only have one more round on the course to make an impression.

Organizers will consider cutting the tournament short, dropping it from four rounds to three, if weather doesn't allow for golfers to play.

Officials have warned players about the possible reduction to 54 holes due to a forecasted tropical storm. Plans are for a 72-hole tournament.

Third-round play is expected on Friday, with Henderson teeing off at 7:59 a.m. Tokyo time and fellow Canadian Alena Sharp teeing off at 8:35 a.m.

Saturday is the anticipated date for fourth-round play, and may continue to Sunday if play is suspended. If golfers aren't able to start Saturday, the tournament risks being reduced.

Henderson's round, with two bogeys and five birdies puts her 13 strokes off the pace. Henderson is tied for 34th.

The 23-year-old from Smith Falls, Ont., had grappled in the first round on Wednesday, particularly with the back nine where she bogeyed four times, including the last two holes.

This time Henderson birdied the 11th and 17th, as well as parred the 15th. But she still closed out an improved round with a bogey on the 18th.

Sharp also found her footing on Thursday, parring the course to stay at three-over. The 40-year-old from Hamilton, Ont., had a bogey on the front and birdie on the back end.

But like Henderson, she encountered problems on the course in the back nine on Wednesday and racked up a pair of double bogeys. She's still moved up to 46th.

Korda pushes into lead

World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States has the lead after her second round, with a superb showing of nine-under 65.

She had four birdies and one eagle through five holes on the front side, and five birdies on the back.

The American would have needed an eagle on the 18th to beat the record of Sweden's Annika Sörenstam, the only LPGA player to have ever shot a 59 in competition, set in 2001.

While Korda ended with a double bogey, she finishes with a four-shot lead at 13-under.

Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Emily Kristine Pedersen, as well as Aditi Ashok of India are in a three-way tie for second.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who won silver at Rio 2016, rose up the standings to be tied in ninth place. Though she started her game with a bogey, Ko sunk six birdies in seven holes on the front nine.

Ko birdied the 10th hole, but finished her round with a pair of bogeys.

Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom led after the first round, but dropped to fifth in the standings. The golfer said she was "fighting" her way through the course and was "very pleased" with her 3-under 68.

Inbee Park, the reigning gold medallist and ranked three in the world, also fell and is tied in 24th place.

Maha Haddioui of Morocco got the first hole in one of the Tokyo Olympic Games on the 7th, and is tied in 49th.