It has been just two weeks since her first career major victory. This time, Yu Hae-ran is chasing back-to-back coronations. The feat came after Nelly Korda missed the cut.
On the 11th, Yu shot a 3-under-par 68 in the second round of the Amundi Evian Championship, the LPGA Tour's fourth major of the season, held at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. Her round included one eagle, three birdies and two bogeys.
Following her 5-under-par first round, she stood at 8-under-par 134 at the halfway point. She held onto a tie for third for a second straight day, keeping her title challenge alive. She trails sole leader Lottie Woad (11 under par) by just three shots.
The opportunity has opened wide. World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States, who dominated the major stage this season, missed the cut. Korda tried to recover in the second round but finished at 1-over-par 143, tied for 67th, one shot short of the cut line. It marked the early exit of a dominant player who had won the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women's Open and was pursuing a career Grand Slam.
Yu's momentum is at its peak. Only two weeks ago, she claimed her first career major title at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, along with her fourth career tour victory. "The psychological burden has been greatly reduced since winning the major," Yu said. "Thanks to that, I was able to focus only on my own play in this tournament as well."
Her start wavered. She stumbled with a bogey on the fourth hole but regained her rhythm with back-to-back birdies on the ninth and 10th holes. The highlight came at the 15th hole. Her second shot stopped in the rough near the green, but the ball she rolled with her putter from 7 meters was drawn into the cup. She also showed a steady pace by immediately recovering with a birdie on the 18th hole after a bogey on the 17th.
"The green speed was slower than the previous day, so putting was not easy," Yu said. "In a major, it is more important to protect par and wait for chances than to attack recklessly. I will show more precise play in the remaining rounds."
The battle for the lead is also heated. Woad, a former world No. 1 amateur, is the sole leader, with Japan's Akie Iwai in sole second, one shot behind. Among Korean players, Lim Jin-hee is tied for ninth at 5 under par, while Yang Hee-young and Lee So-mi are looking to come from behind in a tie for 18th.
