Ina Yoon stretched her lead at the Women’s PGA Championship with a three-under 69 that put her five strokes up on second-place pack after another strong showing from the South Korean.
Yoon, who shot a record 63 in the first round at Hazeltine National Golf Club, had two bogeys with one birdie on the back nine to nudge to 12 under. The 23-year-old is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory.
LPGA Tour leader Nelly Korda, who opened her bid for a third straight major title this year with a quiet 70, had a 68 to climb into a tie for sixth place with Dongeun Lee at six under.
England’s Charley Hull and Lottie Woad lost further ground, dropping back to two over and three over respectively.
Nelly Korda is part of the chasing pack, and currently sits six shots off the lead
Nasa Hataoka, Brooke Henderson, A Lin Kim and Hae Ran Ryu all all tied for second. Ryu shot a 64, and Henderson birdied her last three holes for a 68. Hataoka shot 67, and Kim had a 70.
Yoon, Kim, Ryu and Lee gave South Korea four of the top seven at the midpoint of a tournament that has so far enjoyed calm, dry and comfortable conditions with high temperatures in the mid-70s.
Yoon became the fourth player in the history of the Women’s PGA Championship, which dates to 1955, to lead by five or more strokes through 36 holes, following Mickey Wright (eight, 1958), In Gee Chun (six, 2022) and Cristie Kerr (five, 2010).
England’s Charley Hull, and compatriot Lottie Woad, dropped out of realistic title contention
Korda again had hundreds of fans following her every shot, streaming from hole to hole as she traversed the lengthy 6,700-yard course in suburban Minneapolis.
After birdies on four of her first nine holes, Korda faded a bit down the stretch and finished with six straight pars as she fought a hook with her tee shots. She hit into the rough along the treeline to begin her back nine before two-putting for bogey on the first hole.
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