INCHEON, South Korea: The world’s top two women golfers — Park Sung-hyun of South Korea and Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand — are among four players tied for the lead after the second round of the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on Friday.
Also on eight under par at the Sky 72 Golf Club in Incheon were Charley Hull, ranked 33rd, and 29th-ranked Danielle Kang of the United States.
World number one Park three-putted twice but birdied three of the last six holes for a four-under 68 to secure her position in the leading group.
“Overall, it wasn’t a bad round,” she said. “Those miscues stuck in my mind for a bit, but I was able to pick up a handful of birdies as well.”
Ariya bogeyed two of the first four holes but stormed back with six birdies on the back nine for a round of 67 at the par-72 course.
“I hit a few shots pretty close and I make some long putts,” she said. “I didn’t watch the leaderboard because after my front nine, I didn’t care about the lead. I just played golf.”
Park and Ariya are the only LPGA players with three victories this year.
Japanese teenager Nasa Hataoka, who led after the first round, fell back with a one-over-par 73 to tie for fifth with New Zealand’s Korean-born former world number one Lydia Ko, two shots behind the leaders.
The KEB Hana Bank tournament is the first event in the swing through Asia with stops in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China.
