Nelly Korda turned a shaky start into a weekend chance at the Lpga US Open, firing a four-under 67 in Friday’s second round to move to two under and sit two shots off the lead going into Saturday.
For a player who looked after the opening round like she might be fighting just to make the cut, the rebound changed the picture fast. Korda, the World No. 1 and a three-time major winner, is still chasing her first U.S. Women’s Open title, but her second-round surge kept her in the mix as the championship tightened at Riviera CC in Los Angeles.
Alison Lee joined Ruoning Yin at four under after a 68 on Friday, and Jennifer Kupcho was part of a larger group at three under heading into the third round. That left the leaderboard crowded behind the leaders, with Korda’s name back in the conversation instead of buried in the cut line.
The turnaround matters because Saturday’s third round begins with several players packed near the top and little room for another slip. Korda’s 67 did more than save her week; it gave her a path into the final two rounds at a course where every shot now carries extra weight.
Round 3 gets underway Saturday morning at Riviera CC, with NBC and USA carrying the television coverage. USA is scheduled from 5 p.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET, NBC from 7 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET, and Peacock will simulcast NBC’s window. Featured group coverage will also stream through USWomensOpen.com, the USGA App, Peacock, YouTube TV, DirecTV and Xfinity.
Korda has already done the hardest part: she changed the mood of her championship in one round. The remaining question is whether the world’s top-ranked player can turn that recovery into the first U.S. Women’s Open crown of her career.
