Amy Yang of Korea reacts after sinking her putt on the 16th green during the second round of the CP Womens Open

Yang in the lead, chased by Yin

Amy Yang hasn’t won since February of 2017, but she’s looking to break that drought this week at the CP Women’s Open.

Yang made nine birdies Friday and shot a 7-under-par 65. She sits at 13-under par and leads by one over Angel Yin and Canada’s Brooke Henderson.

Yang needed only 26 putts Friday and said that was the key to her round.

“My putting was really good today. I was hitting it pretty solid out there, but I gave myself a lot of good chances, and I think I made most of them out there,” she said.

Yang admitted she “got lucky” being able to tee off Friday morning as the winds were wrecking havoc on the players’ scores in the afternoon. She said it was still difficult, but leaned on her experience in high winds in Scotland just a few weeks ago.

Yang has four top-5 finishes this year and is 21st on the Race to the CME Globe.

With a nod to Chinese philosophy, Yang is being chased by (Angel) Yin on the leaderboard of the CP Women’s Open going into the weekend.

Angel Yin backed up her 7-under-par 65 Thursday with a 5-under-par 67 Friday to sit at 12-under. Yin is looking for her best result of the year and her first-ever LPGA Tour title.

She said she was feeding off how well Yang was playing – as they were in the same group Thursday and Friday.

Park looking to defend

After a course-record tying 8-under-par 64 for Sung Hyun Park, the defending champion at the CP Women’s Open is just three shots back of the lead going into the weekend.

Park made seven birdies and an eagle Friday and just one bogey at Wascana Country Club. The 64 was tied for her second-lowest round of the year.

“Today everything felt really good from tee to putting,” said Park. “Even though my putting wasn't great yesterday, it was better than I anticipated today. I'm pretty satisfied with my round today.”

The 2017 Rookie of the Year has won three times already in 2018, including last week at the Indy Women in Tech Championship.

Park played the first two rounds with Canada’s Brooke Henderson, and was pleasantly surprised at how big the gallery was for their group on Friday, so early in the morning.

“To witness that was pretty awesome, and it helped me enjoy today's round,” she said.

Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand hits her 2nd shot on the fourteenth fairway during the first round of the CP Womens Open

Jutanugarn grinds it out

Ariya Jutanugarn’s Friday was a much tougher grind than her Thursday, where she tied the course record, but she’s still within shouting distance of the lead.

Jutanugarn shot a 2-under-par 70 in the more difficult Friday afternoon wave. She made three birdies including a twisting 20-footer on her final hole of the day.

“I'm really proud of myself I finally made a putt, because I feel like I missed all the putts today,” said Jutanugarn with a smile.

The three-time winner in 2018 said the weather was definitely a factor during her round. The temperatures dropped almost 30 Fahrenheit over the course of three hours, and the winds gusted to upwards of 45 miles per hour.

“It's really windy, like so tough today,” said Jutanugarn. “I feel like a lot of great shots that I still make bogey. It was really tough.”

Jutanugarn is three shots back of the lead and in a tie for fourth with three other golfers.

Georgia Hall of England watches her tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 2018 KPMG PGA Championship

Hall returns to action

Georgia Hall has never been to Canada before, let alone play the CP Women’s Open.

But so far, so good for the Englishwoman and recent major champion.

Hall, who captured the Ricoh Women’s Open in front of a hometown crowd just a few weeks ago, made her return to action this week and is 6-under par through two rounds.

She shot a 2-under-par 70 Friday, one of the lowest scores of the much tougher afternoon wave. She said at points she was hitting into a “four-club wind.”

“It was really tough this afternoon and this morning I don’t think there was much wind at all,” she said. “My tee shots were good and I gave myself quite a lot of birdie opportunities. I was very consistent and that was my main goal out here when I arrived and saw the weather.”

Hall said Friday was more of a mental grind than a physical one – despite feeling a little under-the-weather.

“There were shots you hit good and the wind just took it 30 yards left and it happened a couple of times,” she said. “You have to stick in there and I managed to hole some good putts on the back nine to shoot 2-under.”

The 22-year-old LPGA Tour rookie enjoyed a holiday in England the last few weeks, including getting to spend five days at home with family and friends. She also got to watch Serena Williams play at Wimbledon from the Royal Box after her British Open triumph.

Life, however, is pretty much the same as it always has been after becoming a major winner.

“It's changed in the sense that I'm British Open champion and a lot more people know me, like it would for anyone. I think as a person I'm still the same, and I think I'll remain the same even if I win ten more,” she said.

Hall is tied for 20th at 6-under.

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