On a day when course conditions were significantly tougher than day one, Inbee Park was able to maintain her position near the top of the leaderboard.

Midway through round two, the top ranked player in the world sits just two strokes off the lead at 2-under par after opening rounds of 68 – 70. She played 22 holes Friday, needing to finish her first round after play was suspended due to dangerous weather in the area Thursday. The course received quite a bit of rain, leaving players like Park struggling on the greens.

“I hit probably every putt short,” Park said after her round Friday. “It’s hard to think that you have to smash the putts at a U.S. Open. That’s where putts are really slow. You can’t hit it hard enough to get there. Yeah, I would like them a little quicker, but obviously it’s really tough with soft conditions and the rain we’re getting.”

Friday, Park had 31 putts en route to an even par 70 which required her to stay patient, reminding herself that par is a good score in this championship.

“It’s a really good position to be in. Obviously after two rounds. And we still have a lot of golf to play, but my goal would be to be under par and I hopefully I can hold the trophy by the end of Sunday.”

She’s hoisted the trophy twice on Sunday at the U.S. Women’s Open and could add a third this week, just as she did at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June where she captured her third consecutive championship.

Park has won from both ahead and behind at the U.S. Women’s Open. The South Korean trailed by two entering the final round in 2008 when she went on to win by four after 54-hole leader Stacy Lewis shot a final round 78. Park became the youngest winner in the history of the event at 19 years of age. She won again in 2013, cruising to a four-stroke victory which she held after 54-holes.

“It’s always so much fun being in contention in a major championship and I really know how it feels like,” Park said. “To have a chance at a trophy on the weekend is always so much to play for and definitely gives me a lot of motivation.”

It’s going to be a fun weekend for Inbee Park.

Inbee Park In The Hunt Heading Into Moving Day at the U.S. Women's Open

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