AIG Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko moved within a shot of the halfway lead at the LPGA Tour’s Kroger Queen City Championship, as several Solheim Cup stars continued to impress.
Ko, making her first start since major victory at St Andrews, followed an opening-round 67 with a bogey-free 66 on Friday at TPC River’s Bend to set the initial clubhouse target.
The world No 3, who also won Olympic gold for New Zealand earlier this summer, took advantage of the par-five sixth and eagled the par-five eighth before three birdies over her final six holes moved her to 11 under.
Ko’s target was later beaten by Jeeno Thitikul, who birdied three of her last four holes to post back-to-back 66s and take a one-shot lead into the weekend, while FM Championship winner Haeran Ryu is two strokes back in third place.
“I just wanted to make sure that I was giving myself lots of looks for birdies again today,” Ko said. “I think you see some low scores so you feel like you need to make a bunch of birdies. I know that if I just keep giving myself chances, then at one point it’s going to fall.”
Anna Nordqvist and Albane Valenzuela, among the 11-strong contingent involved who also competed in the Solheim Cup last week, are both within four of the halfway lead after rounds of 65 and 66 respectively, with the world No 1 a further shot back after a second-round 70.
Nelly Korda is chasing a seventh win of the season on the LPGA Tour
Overnight leader Ashleigh Buhai dropped six back after a one-over 73, with Ireland’s Leona Maguire also in the group on six under following rounds of 67 and 71. England’s Charley Hull – Europe’s top scorer at the Solheim Cup last week – is eight adrift after back-to-back 70s.
Rose Zhang, who went 4-0 last week, was the only Solheim Cup player to miss the cut. She made a late double bogey and never recovered, posting a 71 to miss the weekend by one shot.
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