South Korean Haeran Ryu shot a 10-under-par 62 on Friday to take a commanding lead at the inaugural FM Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass.
Ryu followed a first-round 69 with her career-best round on the LPGA Tour, leaving her at 13-under 131 after two rounds. Nobody could pull within six shots of her by day’s end; Bianca Pagdanganan (66) of Thailand, Robyn Choi (68) of Australia and Yealimi Noh (68) are tied for second at 7 under.
Ryu rang up 10 birdies Friday, with a run of four straight birdies on each side of her card. On the day, she hit all 18 greens in regulation and required just 26 putts.
“Just an amazing day because my shots, everything next to the hole and my putt, everything get in the hole,” Ryu said.
Ryu stood at 7 under for the tournament after four consecutive birdies at Nos. 4-7, and after adding birdies at Nos. 10 and 12, she reeled off another four in a row beginning at No. 14.
In her second season on the tour, the 23-year-old Ryu has one career win.
“Today shots really good, but we have two more rounds, so I just want to try to more accurate for my iron and keep (finding the) fairway for my driver,” Ryu said.
Pagdanganan had the best round of the afternoon wave. All six of her birdies came within her first 10 holes before she made par on each of her last eight.
That included the par-5 18th, where her drive missed the fairway and bounced directly into the crook of a course official’s arm, as caught by the broadcast cameras. The woman bashfully let the ball drop to the ground.
“I’ve accidently hit people on the golf course before but never had it land on anyone’s arm,” Pagdanganan said, before joking, “I just told everyone that’s what my caddie told me to do, hit it in her right arm. I just follow orders. That’s all I do.”
Noh had four birdies during a bogey-free 68, while Choi carded six birdies with two bogeys.
Former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko of South Korea fired a 5-under 67 to move into a tie for fifth at 6 under with Lauren Coughlin (69). Norway’s Celine Borge (68) and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (70) are knotted at 5 under.
First-round leader Marina Alex posted an even-par 72 after an opening round of 68 to stay at 4 under.
Jennifer Kupcho (1 over par) and Rose Zhang (2 over), two members of the U.S. Solheim Cup team, were projected to make the 36-hole cut of 2 over or better. Notables who will miss the cut include France’s Celine Boutier (4 over) and Japan’s Yuka Saso (4 over).
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