Nelly Korda makes an impressive return at the US Women's Open, firing a 67 (-4) on Friday to lie just two shots off the lead. At Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, she is chasing a leading duo who are four under par after two rounds: American Alison Lee and Chinese world number four Yin Ruoning.
"I'm just really happy with how my game is progressing, especially compared to yesterday," Korda said. "It was strange because from Monday to Wednesday I was hitting the ball really well, and suddenly... I had no idea what was going on with my driver yesterday. So I tried to get a handle on the problem on the driving range after the round, and something definitely clicked. Sure, I still pushed a few shots right today, but it was significantly, significantly better."
Korda's Rapid Comeback
Three-time Major champion Korda, who is chasing her first US Open title, was still seven shots behind overnight. But she wasted no time and quickly gained significant ground. She immediately carded a birdie on the par-5 first hole, a precise approach shot on the seventh gave her a tap-in, and on the ninth, she sank a strong 11-foot putt. A fourth birdie, this time from the rough on the par-5 eleventh, followed, before her only bogey of the day came on the twelfth. Her short putt died right after she mishit her tee shot and hit her approach shot too long.
But Korda, who is chasing her second consecutive Major title after her triumph at the Chevron Championship in April, put real pressure back on the leaders with a birdie on the 17th, finishing the day tied for ninth at two under par. Korda attributed the swing improvement to a tip from her sister, which she received on the driving range after the frustrating Thursday round: to slightly strengthen her grip. "It felt super unfamiliar today, but I just trusted it and went with it," she said.
Leaderboard Thriller at Riviera Country Club
Yin Ruoning played a flawless round of 69. Los Angeles local and co-leader Lee collected four birdies on her way to a really strong 68 as she chases her first Major title.
Just one shot behind, on a crowded leaderboard, lurked South Korea's Chun In-gee, Yoo Hyun-jo, and Kim Sei-young, Japan's Hinako Shibuno, Mexico's Gaby Lopez, and overnight leader Jennifer Kupcho – all at three under par. Kupcho, who started on the back nine, bogeyed her last two holes and slipped down the leaderboard. Her approach shot on the eighth went awry, and on the ninth, she had to chip out of a fairway bunker with a steep lip. This meant that her sensational opening round of 66 was followed by a 73 (+2), with a total of four bogeys and only two birdies.
The American – who after her Chevron Champio
