HOUSTON — Nelly Korda made the best 36-hole major start of her career on Friday (Saturday in Manila), firing a second consecutive seven-under par 65 to seize a six-stroke lead at the LPGA Chevron Championship.
The 27-year-old American, seeking her second Chevron crown in three seasons, closed with back-to-back birdies to stand on 14-under 130 after 36 holes at Houston’s Memorial Park in the year’s first major women’s tournament.
“I played really well,” Korda said. “It’s nice to birdie the last two as well. Maybe a little peace of mind going into the weekend.
“Overall, I’m really happy with the way that I struck it, the way that I hit it off the tee today and also all my putting on the green.”
World No. 2 Korda set the tournament record 36-hole score related to par, breaking the mark of 12-under by South Korean Park Sung-hyun and Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg in 2018.
It marked the first time in Korda’s career she has fired consecutive rounds of 65 or better and the first time it had been done at any major outside of the Evian Championship.
The tournament’s largest halfway lead had been four shots but Korda was eight strokes ahead when she walked off the course and six ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit when the day was done.
Patty, a back-nine starter, fired a 69 to stand on 136 as the only bogey-free player through 36 holes.
“I grinded pretty well. It wasn’t perfect,” Patty said. “I just kind of sucked it up and only focused on what was in front of me.”
South Korea’s Yoon I-na shared third on 137 with 20-year-old American amateur Farah O’Keefe and American Ryann O’Toole.
Korda captured the season-opening LPGA Tournament of Champions and finished second in her other three starts this year.
Korda, who had a two-stroke lead after 18 holes, began her round with birdies at the par-five first and par-five third holes and answered a bogey at the sixth with birdies at the par-three ninth and par-three 11th.
