Yamashita Takes Two-Shot Lead Into Weekend in Korea
Miyu Yamashita posted a second-round 68 without a bogey in Seoul, moving to 9-under and taking a two-shot advantage after 36 holes at the Aramco Korea Championship. Louise Rydqvist and Sung Hyun Park sit tied for second at 7-under, with defending champion Hyo Joo Kim still in the mix. The weekend field at New Korea Country Club will have 66 players after the cut landed at 1-over.
Miyu Yamashita, winner of last summer’s AIG Women’s Open and a playoff victor at June’s Meijer LPGA Classic, added a 68 to her opening 67. She birdied the 2nd, 6th, 16th and 17th and said her ball-striking improved from round one.
Louise Rydqvist, an LET rookie on her first Korean trip, carded a bogey-free 67. Sung Hyun Park’s 69 included a double bogey, three birdies and an eagle from off the green at 17. The event is now a 72-hole individual tournament with a $2 million purse after last year’s team format was removed.
Yamashita’s lead and Korean contenders such as Sung Hyun Park and defending champion Hyo Joo Kim may draw larger weekend galleries and local media attention. That visibility could encourage more Korean girls to try golf and may boost interest in the LET’s expanded individual format. For tour players, a strong finish could affect rankings, sponsorship, and confidence, while fans gain a compelling leaderboard.