‘Taeguk Nangja Power’... Park In-bi and Ko Jin-young "Tied for Lead, 2 Shots Ahead"

ShopRite Classic Day 2 'ANA Champ' Tawattananakit 3rd, So-yeon Ryu Tied 6th, Sei-young Kim Tied 16th

Park In-bee is teeing off on the 16th hole on the second day of the ShopRite Classic. Callaway, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It’s the power of the ‘Taeguk Nangja’.

‘Golf Queen’ Park In-bi (33, KB Financial Group) and ‘Number 2’ Ko Jin-young (26) have taken over the top of the leaderboard. On the 3rd (Korean time), at the Bay Course (par 71, 6,190 yards) of Seaview Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey, USA, during the second day of the LPGA Tour ShopRite Classic (total prize money $1.75 million), they both shot 6-under-par rounds to leap into a tie for first place (11-under-par 131). Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand) is in third place (9-under-par 133).

Park In-bi started from a tie for third place, one stroke behind, and racked up seven birdies (one bogey). She made ‘two pairs of stepping stone birdies’ on holes 14, 16, and 18 to reduce three strokes in the front nine, and continued the momentum with consecutive birdies on holes 3 and 4 and another birdie on hole 6 in the back nine. A bogey on hole 8 (par 4) was immediately recovered with a birdie on the final hole 9 (par 5). Her precise tee shots, missing the fairway only twice, and ‘stingy putting’ with 25 putts were the driving forces.

Ko Jin-young (left) is handing her putter to her caddy on the 15th hole during the second day of the ShopRite Classic. Galloway, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

She demonstrated outstanding skills in her comeback after six weeks since appearing at the major AIG Women’s Open last August. Leading by two strokes in a tie for first place, she is poised for her second win of the season and 22nd career victory since the Kia Classic last March. Ko Jin-young also showed perfect play with six birdies and no bogeys. She reduced five strokes in the front nine with three consecutive birdies on holes 3 to 5 and back-to-back birdies on holes 7 and 8. This is her chance for a third win of the season since the Cambia Portland Classic two weeks ago.

Major ANA Inspiration winner Tavatanakit posted a 6-under-par round to join the battle for the title. Yoo So-yeon (31, Mediheal), who was the leader the previous day, faltered with a 1-under-par round and dropped to a tie for sixth place (7-under-par 135). Brooke Henderson (Canada) is tied for 10th (6-under-par 136), Kim Se-young (28, Mirae Asset) tied for 16th (5-under-par 137), Park Sung-hyun (28) tied for 21st (4-under-par 138), and Kim Hyo-joo (26, Lotte) tied for 32nd (3-under-par 139).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.