Ina Yoon stretched her lead at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship to five strokes on Friday, carding a second-round 3-under 69 at Hazeltine National Golf Club to reach 12-under par through 36 holes.
The 23-year-old South Korean, who opened with a championship-record 63 on Thursday, became only the fourth player in the event’s history to lead by five or more shots at the halfway mark. Mickey Wright held an eight-shot advantage in 1958, In Gee Chun led by six in 2022 and Cristie Kerr was five clear in 2010. All three went on to win. Yoon’s 12-under total is also the lowest 36-hole score relative to par in championship history, surpassing the 11-under marks set by Chun, Nelly Korda and Karrie Webb.
Yoon is still in search of her first LPGA Tour win. Earlier this season, she finished tied for fourth at the Chevron Championship, then missed the cut at the US Women’s Open this month.
“The remaining two days will obviously be nerve-racking, but being nervous is human nature, and I think I want to embrace that and focus on what I can in my shots,” Yoon said.
The Chasing Pack
Nasa Hataoka, Brooke Henderson, A Lim Kim and Haeran Ryu shared second place at 7-under. Ryu posted the low round of the day, a 64 that was the best round of her major championship career. Henderson closed with three consecutive birdies for a 68.
“It’s halfway done. She had a great first half, so hopefully I can just have a great second half to try to make up the difference,” said Henderson, who won this championship at age 18 in 2016 at Sahalee Country Club.
Korda Lurking at 6-Under
Nelly Korda, who is aiming for a third straight major title this season after wins at the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open, posted a 68 to jump into a tie for sixth at 6-under with Dongeun Lee. She birdied four of her first nine holes, then struggled on the back nine, dealing with a hook off the tee and closing with six consecutive pars.
“It is hard to have a big lead going into the weekend. I was there at Chevron and you do feel a little bit more pressure, like everyone is hunting you down,” Korda said. “I know the wind will be higher this weekend so it’s going to play probably a little bit more difficult, and I’m sure that the pins will be tricked up.”
South Korean Depth and Scoring Conditions
Four South Korean players, Yoon, Kim, Ryu and Lee, occupied spots among the top seven at the midpoint. Players from Korea have won seven of the last 13 editions of this championship, including Inbee Park’s three consecutive titles from 2013 to 2015.
Calm, dry weather with temperatures in the mid-70s helped produce one of the lowest-scoring starts in recent championship history. The 36-hole average of 73.098, just over one stroke above par, is the third-lowest relative to par through two rounds in the last 35 years.
Defending champion Minjee Lee missed the cut by one stroke, her first missed cut in a dozen appearances at this event. Windier conditions are forecast for the weekend, which could tighten the leaderboard as Yoon tries to convert a historically large lead into a maiden LPGA Tour title.
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