For LPGA rookie Yoon Ina, May was a month of hardship last year. Starting with the Black Desert Championship held during the week of her birthday (May 2), through the Mizuho Americas Open and the Mexico Riviera Maya Open, she suffered the bitter taste of missing the cut in three consecutive tournaments. In all three events, she missed the cut by a single stroke.
Of those three tournaments, the Black Desert Championship is not being held this year, and she skipped last week's Mexico event. This week, she comfortably made the cut at the Mizuho Americas Open, shaking off all of last year's disappointment.
In the second round of the Mizuho Americas Open held Friday (Korean time) at Mountain Ridge Country Club (par 72) in West Caldwell, New Jersey, Yoon carded six birdies and four bogeys for a 2-under-par 70. With a total of even-par 144, she leaped 54 spots from a tie for 69th the previous day to a tie for 15th. Because the tournament is held alongside a junior event, the cut line was narrowed to the top 50, and Yoon safely cleared the cut-off threat.
Starting on the 10th hole (par 4), Yoon opened with a bogey, drifting further from the cut line. But she bounced back with a birdie on the 11th (par 4), then added birdies on the 13th (par 5) and 16th (par 3) to move comfortably inside the cut line. She showed brief signs of instability with consecutive bogeys on the 18th (par 4) and 1st (par 4) holes, but hunted birdies on the 2nd (par 4), 5th (par 4), and 7th (par 3) holes to climb into contention. Playing alongside world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, Yoon was matching her at 3-under until a bogey on the final 9th hole (par 4) left a slight regret. Still, Yoon has a chance to post a third consecutive top-five finish, following a solo fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship and a tie for fourth at the Chevron Championship.
Thitikul, who matched Yoon with six birdies but had one fewer bogey at three, shaved three strokes off her score to take the solo lead at 8-under 136, three strokes ahead of the field. Jennifer Kupcho of the United States, who shot a 3-under 69, stands alone in second at 5-under 139.
Yu Hae-ran, who shot a 2-under 70 with three birdies and one bogey, finished as the top Korean at a tie for 5th at 2-under 142. Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Hannah Green of Australia, and Yin Ruoning of China also joined the tie for fifth.
Choi Hye-jin, who lost three strokes, and An Na-rin, who dropped one, are tied for 13th at 1-under 143, while Shin Ji-eun, who trimmed two strokes, turned at the halfway point tied with Yoon at 15th.
Nine Korean players made the cut, including Hwang Yu-min, Choi Un-jung, and Kang Min-ji at a tie for 31st (1-over 145), and Ko Jin-young at a tie for 50th (3-over 147).
