U.S. Women's Open Heats Up
Alison Lee and Ruoning Yin Co-Lead U.S. Women's Open; Nelly Korda Just Two Shots Behind
Alison Lee and Ruoning Yin share the lead at the 81st U.S. Women's Open after 36 holes at Riviera Country Club, both sitting at 4-under par 138 WRAL. The tournament, making history as the first U.S. Women's Open ever held at the famed Los Angeles venue, is living up to its billing as one of the toughest tests in women's golf — only two players managed a bogey-free round on Friday.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda fired a tournament-low 67 on Friday to climb within two shots of the lead The Star. A record $12.5 million purse — the largest in women's golf history — adds even more weight to every swing this weekend ca.sports.yahoo.com.
Lee Chases First Major Win in Her Backyard
Alison Lee grew up in Los Angeles and attended UCLA. She has never won on the LPGA Tour. In 44 major starts, she has only two top-10 finishes. Yet here she stands, tied for the lead at the biggest women's major of the year Winnipeg Free Press.
Lee shot a second-round 68 on Friday to reach 4-under. After her round, she fought back emotion. "To win in basically my backyard... I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I probably would have started crying if you'd told me I'd be here at the start of the week," she said St. Albert Gazette.
Ruoning Yin's Precision Tames a Passive-Aggressive Course
Ruoning Yin is known for her robotic accuracy. The 2023 Women's PGA Champion and world No. 4 posted a bogey-free 69 in the morning wave to move to 4-under par WRAL. She called Riviera "passive-aggressive" but said, "The more difficult, the better."
Riviera's kikuyu grass — a spongy, grabby turf that acts like a pedestal in fairways but punishes rough shots — suits Yin's precise ball-striking. USGA chief John Bodenhamer said the goal was for players to "get every club in their bag dirty," and Friday's scoring showed the course delivered on that promise.
Korda's 67 Puts the Field on Notice
Nelly Korda had a rough start. She shot a 2-over 73 in Round 1. On Friday, she turned it around completely, carding a 67 — the best round of the tournament so far The Star. She credited a range session with her sister Jessica, saying she worked to "strengthen my grip a little bit."
Korda now sits at 2-under 140, two shots off the lead. Jennifer Kupcho, who led after Round 1 with a 5-under 66, dropped back to 3-under 139. She was joined in a six-way tie at that score by Sei Young Kim and Mexico's Gaby Lopez Winnipeg Free Press.
Riviera's Historic Stage and $12.5 Million Stakes
Riviera Country Club was founded in 1926 and has never before hosted a U.S. Women's Open. The USGA's move to premier venues — including Pebble Beach in 2023 — is a deliberate push to raise the championship's profile. The $12.5 million purse marks a 127% increase over the $5.5 million offered just five years ago in 2021.
The venue also carries personal meaning for the surrounding community. Nearby Pacific Palisades neighborhoods were devastated by wildfires in January 2025. The tournament is seen as a symbol of local resilience. The course will also host the 2028 Olympic Golf competition, making this week a preview of what the world's best can expect on the sport's grandest stage St. Albert Gazette.
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