Lexi Thompson fired six birdies and a five-under-par 67 to emerge from a marathon Saturday with a two-shot lead in the ANA Inspiration, the L.P.G.A. Tour’s first major championship of the year.
Thompson’s 13-under total of 203 put her two strokes in front of Suzann Pettersen of Norway going into the final round on Sunday at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Thompson, a 22-year-old American, was among about 50 players who had to return Saturday morning to complete the second round because of delays caused by high winds on Thursday.
The disruption did Thompson no harm as she produced back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth holes — her 16th and 17th holes of the second round — en route to a 67 and the 36-hole lead.