GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nelly Korda missed her second straight reduce after profitable six of seven occasions, rallying Friday however falling a stroke in need of advancing to weekend play within the Meijer LPGA Traditional.
The highest-ranked Korda adopted a gap 4-over 76 in windy circumstances Thursday with a 67 to get to 1 below at Blythefield Nation Membership, the place she gained in 2021 at a tournament-record 25 below.
“Didn’t play too unhealthy,” Korda mentioned. “Simply robust week.”
Ally Ewing and Grace Kim shared the lead at 11-under 133. Eighty-one gamers at 2 below or higher superior.
Ewing had a 63. She chipped in for eagle on the par-5 eighth and closed with consecutive birdies.
“That was simply fairly regular golf,” Ewing mentioned. “I really feel like I’m hanging the ball rather well … simply as much as rolling some putts in.”
Kim shot 65. On her opening 9, the Australian rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 seventeenth with an eagle on the par-5 18th.
“Clearly, struggled with the wind yesterday,” Kim mentioned. “However grinded out a very good 4 below after which took my alternatives from a morning tee time as we speak.
Two weeks after making a ten on a gap in a first-round 80 on the U.S. Ladies’s Open in Pennsylvania, Korda opened double bogey-bogey-bogey Thursday afternoon in robust wind. She started Friday tied for 133rd — 11 strokes behind first-round chief Alison Lee.
“It was simply course administration yesterday with the wind,” Korda mentioned. “Simply couldn’t play properly. Total, struck the ball properly.”
Beginning on No. 10 in her morning spherical, Korda birdied the primary three holes and 4 of the primary 5. She bogeyed the seventeenth and added two birdies on her remaining 9.
“I used to be simply making lengthy putts,” Korda mentioned. “Chipped in on No. 2. Made a protracted putt on 1. Made a protracted putt on 3. Three-putted on 8. Utterly slid my momentum down.”
She capped a record-tying run of 5 straight victories with a significant win at The Chevron Championship, then tied for seventh within the Founders Cup earlier than profitable the Mizuho Americas Open forward of the U.S. Ladies’s Open. After the break this week, she’s off to the Seattle space for the key KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship at Sahalee.
“I’m more than happy with the best way that I struck the ball as we speak off the tee — one thing I’ve been combating this 12 months,” Korda mentioned. “This was by far the very best I’ve hit it off the tee, so slightly little bit of positivity going into KPMG.”
Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark and Narin An of South Korea have been tied for third at 9 below. Koerstz Madsen had a 64, and An shot 68.
Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who gained the occasion in 2017 and 2019, shot a 69 to high the group at 8 below. She performed alongside Korda and defending champion Leona Maguire the primary two days.
“It was a lot softer and never as a lot wind,” Henderson mentioned. “I want I may have capitalized slightly bit extra on just a few birdie alternatives. On the similar time, proud of 3 below and excited to play the weekend.”
Individuals Allisen Corpuz (68) and Lauren Hartlage (69) additionally have been 8 below with China’s Jing Yan (68) and South Korea’s Jin Hee Im (65).
Lee was tied for tenth at 7 below. She adopted her opening 65 with a 72, making 5 birdies and 5 bogeys.
Maguire was tied for forty eighth at 3 below after a 69.
Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 participant and double main winner final 12 months, was tied for twenty fifth at 5 below in her return from a again harm that sidelined her because the Ford Championship in Arizona on the finish of March. She adopted a gap 69 with a 70.
Lexi Thompson, the 2015 winner, additionally was 5 below, capturing a 68. She has gone greater than 5 years with out profitable. Thompson has mentioned this shall be her final 12 months enjoying a full schedule.
“Hit plenty of nice photographs on the market and made some good birdies, particularly coming in.” Thompson mentioned. “So, positives going into weekend.”
