South Korea’s Kim Ae Lim posted the week’s round of the week to jump to the top of the Chevron Championship leaderboard on Friday, before second round play in the first women’s major of the year was halted due to darkness at The Club Carlton Woods in Houston .
Kim, who won the 2020 US Open in another Houston field cut at the Champions Club, shot back a seven-under 65 to sit one clear of Americans Lilia Wu and Megan Khang.
The start of the second round was delayed by two hours due to torrential rain overnight and the golfers struggled to complete their rounds.
But 31 players eventually surrendered to the darkness, including Canada’s Brooke Henderson, who was three off the lead on the 18th green and opted to return early Saturday to complete the round while her playing partners were out. Have become.
“It was really, really dark,” said Henderson, the world No. 7. “I’m just behind. It was pretty good to see, but I needed a little more light around the green to make sure I wanted to take that opportunity to make birdie.”
All day Wu, who was out in the morning wave, sat alone on the leaderboard and no one was able to better his total of seven-under 137.
Kim didn’t look like he had dropped Wu after a bogey on the opening hole but kept the rest of the card clean and collected eight birdies for a three-under 69, while Khang came back with a bogey-free 67.
A shot off the pace and the two major winners behind are world number two Nelly Korda and Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand.
Nellie Korda hits off the fifth tee on day two of the Chevron Championship in Texas. Photograph: Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Korda, hunting a second major after her win at the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship, had another rollercoaster day, including five birdies with three bogeys for a two-under 70.
“There are many bogeys out there and you try to minimize your mistakes as much as you can,” Korda said. “I was punching in the air a lot of times after my two three putts, which are stupid mistakes, but you just have to be mentally tough and know there are some birdie opportunities.”
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Tawatnakit, who led wire-to-wire to win the 2021 Chevron, then known as the ANA Inspiration, carded a bogey-free outward nine and a five-under highlighted by five birdies in a birdie-birdie finish. Posted 67.
Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho saw her hopes of a repeat all but vanish with a six-over 78 that included a triple-bogey, double-bogey and three bogeys against two birdies.
The round left the American on six overs for the tournament, well over the projected one-over cut.
Also in real danger of missing the cut is world No. 1 Lydia, who was two holes to complete three overs when play was halted.
