South Korea’s Ilhee Lee, who shared the first-round lead, is alone in first place by one stroke after a second-round 3-under 68 on Saturday at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway, N.J.
Seeking her second LPGA Tour title in her 200th event, Lee birdied two of her first three holes while starting on the back nine, then rebounded from a double bogey on the par-4 No. 8 hole to finish with a birdie on No. 9. Lee sits at 11-under 131 and is feeling no pressure entering the final round.
“I looked at the leaderboard after, I think, 17th — I think it was the 18th hole,” Lee said. “I looked at the leaderboard and said, ‘Oh, I’m playing on Sunday.’ I was happy about it.
“I feel like all other people around me (have) more expectations than I do right now, but I’m pretty chill right now.”
Elizabeth Szokol, who shared the first-round lead with Lee after each posted an 8-under 63, dropped into a four-way tie for second after her 2-under 69 as she eyes her first solo victory on the LPGA Tour.
Joining Szokol in second were Jennifer Kupcho, who notched the round of the day Saturday with a 7-under 64, and Japan’s Mao Saigo (65) and Ayaka Furue (66) at 10-under 132. Six players are tied for sixth at 8-under 134.
“Yeah, it felt good,” said Kupcho, who played a bogey-free round with seven birdies, including the final two holes. “I think a little bit of improvement to be made tomorrow. Wasn’t hitting the ball super great off the tee, but at least out here it’s manageable out of the rough or fairway bunkers.”
Saigo endured a bogey on the par-4 No. 2 hole, but bounced right back with a double eagle on the par-5 No. 3, using a 7-wood to sink the shot from 214 yards.
“The audience made the sounds, so that’s why I knew (it went in),” said Saigo, who added that it was the first time she sank a double eagle.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda opened with a 71 and was tied for 65th, but jumped up to a tie for 25th with a second-round 66.
“I think the weather was better today,” she said. “Wasn’t as windy. We were playing in pretty gusty conditions yesterday, and with the greens being kind of smaller already, it’s tough to kind of judge your starting target with everything.”
World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand is five shots off the lead after back-to-back 68s have her at 6-under 136. Sweden’s Maja Stark, who won her first major last week at the U.S. Women’s Open, missed the -2 cut line after a 4-over 75.
–Field Level Media
