Yoon Eye-na's lowest round on the LPGA Tour last year was an 8-under 64. She shot that score with nine birdies and one bogey during the third round of the JM Eagle LA Championship. She climbed to fourth place, two strokes off the lead, putting herself in contention for the title, but had to settle for a tie for 16th after shooting 73 on the final day.
A year later, Yoon matched her career-low round — at the same venue, in the same tournament. This time, however, she posted the score in the second round, a day earlier than her previous effort.
At the second round of the JM Eagle LA Championship held Friday at El Caballero Country Club (par 72) in Los Angeles, California, Yoon carded eight birdies without a bogey for an 8-under 64. Her 36-hole total of 12-under 132 moved her up 23 spots from a tie for 26th to solo third. She trails solo leader Kim Sei-young (14-under 130) by two strokes and sits one stroke behind solo second-place Chisato Iwai of Japan (13-under 131).
Yoon's scorecard was filled with eight birdies and no bogeys. It marked her second bogey-free round of the year. Last year she managed only two bogey-free rounds all season, but she has already recorded two this year.
Still, it would be untrue to say she had no regrets, given the wide gap between her front-nine and back-nine scores.
Starting on the 10th hole (par 4), Yoon opened with a birdie. She added birdies on the 12th and 13th holes (both par 4s). Her birdie barrage erupted from the 15th hole (par 3). She kept the birdies coming on the 16th (par 5), 17th (par 3) and 18th (par 4). After turning in at 7-under 29, Yoon settled into a tedious string of pars on the back nine. Her only birdie on the back came at the seventh hole (par 5), where she shaved off one stroke. With just one missed green across all 18 holes, the single back-nine birdie likely stung all the more. She missed only two fairways off the tee and averaged 287 yards on her drives. She took 28 putts.
"It was the first time I've shot 29 on nine holes," Yoon said after the round. "I can't believe it."
Kim Sei-young carded a 7-under 65, the second-lowest round of the day behind Yoon, moving up from second to first. It was an outstanding bogey-free round with seven birdies. Chisato Iwai, who had taken the lead the previous day with a 9-under round, shot 4-under on Friday and now sits between Kim and Yoon.
Lim Jin-hee shot a 4-under 68 to move into a tie for fourth (9-under 135), while Lee Mi-hyang shaved off two strokes to reach the midway point tied for 15th (6-under 138) alongside Park Keum-kang.
Kim Hyo-joo, Choi Hye-jin and Australian Korean Minjee Lee withdrew.
