So Yeon Ryu leads Aust. Ladies Masters by 4 shots

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) -U.S. Open champion So Yeon Ryu shot an 11-under-par 61 at Royal Pines on Friday to take a four-stroke lead after two rounds of the Australian Ladies Masters.

Ryu, who had 12 birdies and a bogey on Friday, had a two-round total of 17-under-par 127 after an opening 66.

The Korean's score would have tied the course record held by seven-time Masters champion Karrie Webb, but it will not go in the books due to the lift, clean and place rule in effect on the fairways because of the wet course due to recent rain.

Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands finished birdie-birdie-eagle to shoot a 65 , putting her in a distant second place.

First-round leader Lee Bo-mee of South Korea (69) and Nikki Campbell of Australia (67) were tied for third, seven strokes behind Ryu.

Diana Luna of Italy and American Amelia Lewis each shot 64s to be tied for fifth with England's Felicity Johnson, who had a 68, to be eight strokes behind.

Earlier Friday, three players were disqualified for unknowingly breaching rules on the preferred lies.

A rules official from the co-sanctioning Ladies European Tour said Australians Corie Hou and Inhong Lim and Australian-based South Korean amateur Annie Choi were disqualified after playing one hole of their second round.

The players, who were in the same group, said they had misinterpreted a local ruling during their first round which allowed preferred lies on fairways but not in the rough.

Choi had an opening-round 2-under-par 70, five strokes behind first-round leader Lee Bo-mee. Lim shot 80 and Hou 81.

The 16-year-old Choi said they had misunderstood what the starter said before they teed off about the local rule allowing preferred lies on the fairways because of wet conditions on the Royal Pines course.

"I'm devastated but I accept it," said Choi, who said the group had been told the preferred lies were in place "everywhere" and took that to include rough.

The threesome had played only one hole of their second round when the rule breach was reported to Ladies European Tour operations director Cyprien Comoy.

All three admitted to taking preferred lies off the fairways in the first round and were disqualified because it meant they'd signed incorrect scorecards.

"It was a surprise to them, certainly," said Comoy. "The girls accepted the decision. It is not a pleasant thing but a harsh lesson learned. We accept it was a genuine mistake."