BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Three-time champion Jin Young Ko birdied six of her last nine holes Friday for an 8-under 63 and a two-stroke lead over four players in the LPGA Tour's Founders Cup.
Trying to win the event on a fourth venue, Ko had a 12-under 130 total at Bradenton Country Club after her second straight bogey-free round.
鈥淕olf is hard, so if lose focus, can make bogey or double,鈥� Ko said.
The 29-year-old South Korean player won the tournament that honors the tour鈥檚 founders in 2019 at Desert Ridge in Phoenix, 2021 at Mountain Ridge in New Jersey and 2023 in a playoff at Upper Montclair, also in New Jersey.
Yealimi Noh had a 64 to match fellow American American Angel Yin 鈥� who shot her second straight bogey-free 66 鈥� and Japan鈥檚 Minami Katsu (65) and South Korea鈥檚 Jin Hee Im (66) at 10 under. American Lauren Coughlin was another stroke back after a 67.
Hamilton's Alena Sharp (70) was in a group tied for 42nd at 1 under. She was the only Canadian to make the cut, with Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., not seeing the weekend rounds.
Playing the back nine first in her afternoon round, Ko opened with a birdie and added another on the 16th. She started her front-nine run with birdies on Nos. 1 and 2, added another on No. 4, then made three straight on Nos. 6-8.
鈥淚 focused very well and I鈥檓 just trying to do my best,鈥� said Ko, who broke the course record on the layout that hosted a Drive On event last year. 鈥淪hot was very consistency from the tee, from the second. I had a lot of good birdie chance, but I missed some putts.鈥�
The 15-time LPGA Tour winner played alongside top-ranked Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee the first two days.
鈥淩eally fun to play with Nelly and Minjee, of course,鈥� Ko said. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to the weekend.
Playing in her Gulf Coast hometown, Korda was tied for 13th at 6 under after her second 69. She won the Drive On tournament on the course last year for the first of her seven 2024 victories.
Lee was even par after a 72.
Noh closed with a bogey on the par-3 ninth after birdieing five of the previous six holes.
鈥淛ust trying to keep it simple,鈥� Noh said. 鈥淗itting fairways and a lot of greens never hurts, so just try to keep doing the same thing and keep the same tempo and rhythm.鈥�
The long-hitting Yin eagled the par-5 sixth on her back nine. Yin and Ko are only players without a bogey.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really tough, honestly,鈥� Yin said. "This is really challenging. ... Wind picks up and everything gets really tight.
Lexi Thompson was tied for 18th, shooting her second 69 in the fog-delayed morning session.
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