Auston Kim holds a one-shot lead on the LPGA Tour despite a double bogey, while Minjee Lee’s eagle-fueled 64 moves her into contention.
Auston Kim maintained her lead at the HSBC Women’s World Championship after a rollercoaster second round of 69, finishing at 9-under par despite a costly double bogey on the par-5 16th hole. The American sits one shot ahead of a three-way tie for second place heading into the weekend.
“All I’m really focused on is my process and the state of mind that I’m in every single time I hit a shot. So this is kind of a byproduct of what I’m doing well,” said Kim about maintaining her lead position despite the challenging moments in her round.
Minjee Lee charges up the LPGA Tour leaderboard
World No. 4 Minjee Lee delivered the round of the day with a spectacular 64, rocketing from tied 28th into contention at 8-under par. The Australian’s bogey-free round featured an eagle on the second hole, where she holed out from the fairway. “I think just I holed a few more putts out there. I holed a few long ones and I also holed out for eagle on the second,” Lee explained after her career-changing round.
Joining Lee in the tie for second are Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn (67) and Korea’s Haeran Ryu (68), who posted a clean bogey-free round with four birdies. The tight leaderboard reflects the competitive nature of the LPGA Tour field, with multiple players positioned to make a weekend move.
American contingent battles through challenging conditions
Angel Yin produced the day’s most impressive comeback, firing a flawless 64 to jump 40 positions into a tie for ninth place. The bogey-free round featured eight birdies and moved her from 49th to within striking distance of the leaders. Meanwhile, leader Kim showed resilience after her double bogey setback, responding with five birdies to maintain her advantage.
German representative Esther Henseleit continued her solid play with a 68, positioning herself in the tie for 11th at 5-under par. The round featured five birdies against just one bogey, keeping her well within range of the leaders as the LPGA Tour field prepares for the crucial weekend rounds.
With 18 players within five shots of the lead, the weekend promises intense competition as the HSBC Women’s World Championship enters its decisive phase.
This article was created with the help of AI and editorially reviewed.