Angel Yin avoided a penalty to shoot a three-under par 69 and take a two-shot lead while top-ranked Nelly Korda entered contention after Friday’s second round of the LPGA Tour Championship.
Yin, a 26-year-old American, made six birdies, three bogeys and perfect putts on the final two holes in windy conditions to stand at 10-under 134 after 36 holes at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida.
Her score withstood a penalty investigation because after the round, LPGA rules officials informed Yin of a possible violation for an inappropriate fall on the fourth hole.
Yin’s second shot on the fourth hole, where she made bogey, went into the water. She looked for the ball on a slope near the green where she thought it might have landed.
“They wanted to ask me about the drop process and whether I had used all my resources to determine where I crossed (the water hazard) and took my drop,” Yin said.
“It looked like I took an improper drop and went up closer than I should have. They thought I didn’t take the drop correctly.
“I explained to them that I thought I hit the drop correctly. I asked everyone and everyone agreed. I explained to them how I hit the shot, where it flew, and that. “That’s when I figured out where I had failed.”
No penalty was imposed.
“We just had to clarify that,” Yin said. “Everyone is trying to do their best. I don’t think it matters to anyone. Everyone is trying to maintain their integrity.”
South Korean Choi Hye-jin shot a bogey-free 68 to share second place with 136 with his compatriot An Na-rin, leader of the first day after an opening 64.
The top 60 players in the season’s points race qualified for the $11 million showdown, which offers a top prize of $4 million.
Yin, ranked 34th, won her only LPGA title last year in Shanghai.
She birdied the second hole, but then made back-to-back bogeys at three and four. She responded with birdies at the par-5 sixth and ninth, then added birdies at 11, 13, 15.
Yin holed an 18-foot par putt at bogey 16, but sank tight six-foot par putts at 17 and 18 to maintain his lead, even after the penalty scare.
– Korda flies away with an eagle –
Korda shot a bogey-free 66 that included an eagle at the par-4 third – coming out of the right fairway rough – and birdies at the par-5 sixth, the par-4 ninth, the par-3 12th and the par-5 17th holes.
“I was in the rough. I didn’t hit my shot very well off the tee. I had to hit a little controlled 8 iron and I landed soft, perfect, and I just saw it go in like a putt,” Korda said. of his eagle. “It’s a good way to start my tour, that’s for sure.”
Korda, who has already earned the LPGA Player of the Year title, is seeking her eighth title of the season and jumped 40 spots with a strong performance.
The 26-year-old American, who could only manage level by Thursday, shared fourth place with 138 in a field with Japan’s Ayaka Furue, China’s Yin Ruoning, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and South Korea’s Amy Yang , the reigning champion.
“Definitely, a few more putts were made today. I actually found the center of the clubface, which is good,” Korda said. “I felt a little better today and I hope I can continue to improve.”
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