Nelly Korda Charges Into US Women’s Open Contention After Impressive Second Round

Posted : 06 June 2026

World No. 1 Nelly Korda produced the lowest round of the day to thrust herself back into contention at the US Women’s Open, carding a four-under-par 67 in the second round at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

After struggling with her driver during the opening round and beginning the day seven shots behind the leaders, Korda responded strongly to climb the leaderboard. The three-time major champion finished the round at two-under overall, just two strokes behind co-leaders Alison Lee and Yin Ruoning, who both sat at four-under after 36 holes.

Korda expressed satisfaction with the improvement in her game after addressing issues with her swing following Thursday’s round. She revealed that she spent time on the practice range working on adjustments and felt much more comfortable off the tee despite a few wayward drives.

The American made an immediate impact, opening with a birdie at the first hole before adding further gains at the seventh and ninth. Another birdie arrived at the par-five 11th, although she dropped her only shot of the day at the 12th after a difficult sequence that began with an errant drive. Korda recovered well and finished strongly with a birdie on the 17th to keep pace with the leaders.

The reigning Chevron Championship winner credited her sister for helping solve her swing issues. A simple adjustment to strengthen her grip proved effective, allowing her to regain confidence and consistency throughout the round.

At the top of the leaderboard, Yin delivered a flawless bogey-free 69 to maintain her position, while Los Angeles native Alison Lee posted a 68 featuring four birdies as she continued her pursuit of a maiden major championship.

The leaderboard remains tightly packed heading into the weekend. A group of players sits just one shot behind the leaders at three-under, including South Koreans Chun In-gee, Yoo Hyun-jo and Kim Sei-young, Japan’s Hinako Shibuno, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, and American Jennifer Kupcho.

Kupcho, who led after an opening-round 66, slipped back after a challenging finish. Starting on the back nine, she bogeyed her final two holes and signed for a two-over 73. Despite the setback, the former Chevron Championship winner remained confident about her chances, pointing to her ability to recover quickly from mistakes throughout the tournament.

This year’s championship is being played at Riviera Country Club, the iconic Los Angeles venue that will also host golf competitions during the 2028 Summer Olympics. With the leaderboard closely contested and several major champions in the mix, the tournament is shaping up for an exciting weekend finish.

Nelly Korda Charges Into US Women’s Open Contention After Impressive Second Round

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