So Yeon Ryu carded a 70 on Friday at Lake Merced Golf Club and will enter the weekend with a one-stroke lead at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship.
The 28-year old Korean finished her second day in Daly City, California with one bogey offset by three birdies, including a chip-in on No. 12, en route to a two day total of 7-under par.
“I only made one birdie and one bogey on the back nine. I actually didn’t really have any chance to make a birdie,” said Ryu, who last held a 36-hole lead at the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“I guess just being really tougher to make a decision, because it would feel like the wind was strong into it, then all of a sudden it stopped.”
American Ryann O’Toole produced a bogey-free 7-under 65 to set the tournament scoring record, later matched by sponsor invite He Yong Choi of Korea.
After starting the round tied for 39th, O’Toole sits T2 alongside Korean Sei Young Kim, who posted a bogey-free 66. The aforementioned Choi was one of five players tied for fourth on 5-under par, alongside countrywomen Na Yeon Choi (67), Eun-Hee Ji (72) and Inbee Park (69), as well as England’s Charley Hull (70).
First-round co-leader Anne van Dam struggled to a 77 on Friday, falling into a tie for 31st. Defending champion Lydia Ko shot a 1-under 71 and made the cut by two strokes. She was tied for 54th heading into the weekend.
Top-5 Leaders
Pos-Player-To par (Rd 2)
1. So Yeon Ryu -7 (-2)
2. Ryann O’Toole -6 (-7)
2. Sei Young Kim -6 (-6)
4. He Young Choi -5 (-7)
4. Na Yeon Choi -5 (-5)
4. Inbee Park -5 (-3)
4. Cahrley Hull -5 (-2)
4. Eun-Hee Ji -5 (E)
Leader’s Stats
Thru 36 holes
Driving: 261.5 yards
Fairways: 19/28, 67.9%
Greens: 25/36 69.4%
GIR/Putts: 41, 1.64
Top Shot
So Yeon Ryu landed her tee shot just off the green on the par-3 12 the hole. No problem, though, as the Korean star chips it in for a birdie.
Quotable
“Well, actually, when I stood up to make that shot, like, I felt it. I was like, ‘I think I’m going to make it.’ And so I really, like, tried to be real, like, really? And then I made it. I guess once you live it, you can do it. So I think that’s the behavior I really needed to have for the weekend. And I’m going to bring my A game for the weekend. And I hope I can have that kind of shot even more then.”
– So Yeon Ryu, describing chip-in birdie on No. 12
Credit: Getty Images, LPGA Communications
