Yoon In-na shows signs of her first-ever victory, leading by five strokes after Round 2 at the major LPGA Women's PGA Championship [LPGA]

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Yoon In-na (23, Solare) has come closest to her first victory since joining the LPGA Tour. With a five-stroke lead over the second-place group, expectations for her first title within two debut seasons are growing.

On the 27th (Korea time), Yoon In-na shot a 3-under-par 69 with five birdies and two bogeys during the second round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the season's third major tournament with a total purse of $13 million, held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, USA (par 72).

Starting the day with nine birdies to take sole possession of the lead, Yoon In-na reached a mid-round total of 12-under-par 132, pulling five strokes ahead of the second-place group.

Yoo Hae-ran (Daol Financial Group), who cut eight strokes on this day alone, along with Kim Ah-rim (Medihill), Nasa Hataoka (Japan), and Brooke Henderson (Canada), recorded 7-under-par 137 to share second place.

After conquering the 2024 KLPGA Tour and stepping onto the U.S. stage last year, Yoon In-na managed only one top-10 finish in 26 tournaments she entered last year, including eight missed cuts. However, she has made a complete comeback this season.

She has finished in the top 10 in four of 11 tournaments this season, reaching a personal best of fourth place at the JM Eagle LA Championship, and is now soaring at this event.

Yoon In-na secured her first birdie on the 3rd hole (par 5) and followed up with another birdie on the 4th hole (par 3). She added more birdies on the 6th hole (par 4) and the 8th hole (par 3), racing ahead with four birdies and no bogeys in the front nine.

She experienced some wobbles in the back nine. Starting with a bogey on the 10th hole (par 4), the first hole of the back nine, she immediately bounced back with a birdie on the 11th hole (par 5).

Yoon In-na, who had been consistently holding par, unfortunately lost an extra stroke when her tee shot on the 17th hole (par 3) landed far from the hole and she missed the par putt. Nevertheless, she recovered well from a bunker on the 18th hole (par 4), got the ball onto the green, and closed with par, maintaining her lead over the second-place group.

Rookie Lee Dong-eun (SBI Savings Bank) finished tied for sixth at 6-under-par 138, alongside Nelly Korda (USA).

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original