Nelly Korda edged closer to a third major title as the world No. 2 set the new 36-hole scoring record at the Chevron Championship to stretch her lead to six strokes heading into the weekend.
Korda, who won the Chevron two years ago, moved to 14 under after carding a second straight 65, with no one else in the field shooting better than 67 over the first two days.
The world No. 2 birdied his last two holes to clear further. She has made just one bogey through her opening two rounds at Memorial Park in Houston.
It marks the lowest 36-hole score of her career in majors, and the third-best 36-hole score in LPGA majors behind Jeongeun Lee6 (127), Brooke Henderson (128) and In Gee Chun (129), all at the Evian Championship, the tournament in France that the LPGA chose to designate as a 2013 major.
Korda’s six-shot lead is also tied for the largest 36-hole lead at an LPGA major since 1980 with Patty in Sheehan in 1990 and In Gee Chun in 2022.
“I’m comfortable with my game,” Korda said. “I think where I’m most comfortable is definitely with my mindset of knowing when I mess up, I’m going to figure it out.
“Sometimes I think you get stuck in wanting to play well and always want to be at the top, that you have this tension of not wanting to make a mistake.”
Korda has a six-shot lead over Patty Tavatanakit, alone in second place at eight under, while Ina Yoon, Ryan O’Toole and Farah O’Keefe, one of eight amateurs in the field, are one further back in third.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul will be a shock omission over the weekend after missing the cut, following up her opening 74 with a 73 on Friday to finish three over.
LPGA rookie Mimi Rhodes, who had been in contention after an opening 69, also ended up missing the cut after dropping four shots over her final five holes and posting a six-over 78.
Fellow English hopefuls Charlie Hull and Lottie Woad have finished the weekend at two under and one over respectively, after rounds of 70 and 72 on Friday.
Who will win the Chevron Championship? Live coverage of the third round begins on Saturday from Sky Sports Golf. Stream The Chevron Championship without a contract.
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