LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alison Lee seized a share of the lead at the 81st U.S. Women’s Open on Friday with a second-round 68 in her native Los Angeles area, joining Ruoning Yin at 4-under 138 atop a crowded leaderboard at Riviera.World No. 1 Nelly Korda jumped into the hunt for her first Women’s Open title by shooting the day’s lowest round at 67, leaving her just two shots back after struggling Thursday.Opening-round leader Jennifer Kupcho, Sei Young Kim and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez were in a group of six at 3-under 139, while Korda and three others were at 140.The venerable course at this 100-year-old country club is hosting its first U.S. Women’s Open, and it remained unforgiving for the world’s best. Only two players managed a bogey-free round Friday — including China’s Yin, who semi-jokingly called Riviera “passive aggressive” despite being the only player in the field to shoot two sub-70 rounds so far.
“I love it,” Yin said. “I always say that the more difficult (the course), the better.”Yin carded her second straight 69 in the same city where she earned her first LPGA Tour victory in 2023, a couple of months before she won the Women’s PGA Championship. She tied for fourth at last year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills.
