*This content was translated by AI.
She is poised to claim three consecutive major championships. Yoo Hae-ran continued her strong performance on the LPGA Tour stage.
On the 1st (Korean time), at the Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Links (par 71) in Lytham, Lancashire, England, Yoo Hae-ran shot a 2-under-par 69 with one bogey, one double bogey, and five birdies during the second round of the AIG Women's Open, the final major of the LPGA Tour season. With a cumulative total of 7-under-par 135, Yoo Hae-ran moved from a tie for second place on day one to sole leadership.
She leads second-place Shiho Kuwaki (Japan) by one stroke at 6-under-par 136. American-Korean No Ye-rim and world number two Jin Teeraporn (Thailand) tied for third at 5-under-par 137.
If Yoo Hae-ran maintains her lead through the remaining third and fourth rounds, she will become the first player since Park In-bee in 2013 to win three consecutive majors in a single season. Yoo Hae-ran has already claimed back-to-back major titles at last month's KPMG Women's PGA Championship and early this month's Amundi Evian Championship.
Starting the second round two strokes behind the leader, Yoo Hae-ran made a bogey on the third hole (par 4) and then recorded a double bogey on the fifth hole (par 3), causing her to falter significantly. However, after narrowly avoiding disaster when her second shot on the par-5 seventh hole landed in a bunker, she recovered with a precise approach shot to secure a birdie and shift momentum in her favor.
Gaining confidence, Yoo Hae-ran secured consecutive birdies on the ninth (par 3) and tenth holes (par 4), stabilizing her game. She then made a long-distance 15-meter birdie putt on the 15th hole (par 4) and added another birdie on the final 18th hole (par 4), finishing the round with a satisfying hole-out.
World number one Nelly Korda (USA), also aiming for three major victories in a single season, reduced her score by three strokes in the second round to reach a cumulative total of 1-under-par 141, moving up to a tie for 14th place. She trails leader Yoo Hae-ran by six strokes. Korda has already won this season's Chevron Championship and U.S. Women's Open.
A total of 68 players made the cut after Round 2 with scores at or below 4-over-par 146. Among Korean players, 11 including Yoo Hae-ran and amateur Yang Yun-seo advanced to the third round. Ten players, including Shin Ji-ae, Lee So-mi, Yoon In-a, Kim Min-sol, and Kim Min-sun, missed the cut. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita (Japan) also failed to advance after recording a quadruple bogey on the 18th hole due to bunker trouble, finishing with a cumulative total of 7-over-par 149.
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*This content was translated by AI.
