PORTLAND, Ore. — Jeongeun Lee5 shot a 6-under 67 on Friday to take the lead in The Normal Portland Traditional, whereas 65-year-old Juli Inkster fell brief in her bid to turn into the oldest participant to make a reduce in LPGA Tour historical past.
Lee5, the 36-year-old South Korean participant, had a 12-under 132 complete at Columbia Edgewater. Winless on the LPGA Tour, she birdied the ultimate 5 holes on her entrance 9 within the morning spherical.
“Once we are taking part in effectively, we anticipate it to proceed,” Lee5 stated. “So, I need to actually focus and focus going into the weekend. The previous two rounds I had nice power, good photographs, and good putts.”
Inkster, the Corridor of Famer who gained the 1999 occasion, adopted her opening 69 with a 74 to overlook the reduce by a stroke. JoAnne Carner was 64 when she made the reduce within the 2004 Chick Fil-A Charity Championship.
“Wasn’t very inspiring,” Inkster stated. “I didn’t drive the ball in addition to I did yesterday. Type of a grind on the market at present.”
She performed to arrange for the U.S. Senior Girls’s Open subsequent week.
Grace Kim of Australia and Gurleen Kaur of the USA have been a stroke again on the tree-lined course. Kim had a 65, and Kaur shot 68.
Akie Iwai had her second straight 67 to hitch Pajaree Anannarukarn (67) and Ashleigh Buhai (68) at 10 beneath.
Newbie Kiara Romero had a 69 to get to eight beneath. The College of Oregon star gained the 2023 U.S. Women’ Junior and 2025 Huge Ten title.
“It feels actually good simply to see my sport match up in opposition to a few of these professionals, simply getting extra comfy taking part in in entrance of crowds and stuff,” Romero stated. “My first time taking part in in entrance of an enormous crowd I sort of bought somewhat bit shaken up and was nervous on the market.”
Two-time champion Brooke Henderson, a stroke again after a gap 65, had a 73 to fall to six beneath. The Canadian star is winless since January 2023 and has dropped to 52nd on this planet.
First-round chief Adela Cernousek adopted her opening 64 with a 75 to drop to five beneath.
Angel Yin, the top-ranked participant within the discipline at No. 7, was 2 beneath after a 70. No. 9 Haeran Ryu additionally was 6 beneath, capturing 72.
Defending champion Moriya Jutanugarn missed the reduce with rounds of 73 and 74.
The event is the longest steady occasion on the LPGA Tour aside from the majors, relationship to 1972.
