Who’s in The Hunt

A tier of players has separated themselves from the pack, with IK Kim and Katherine Kirk taking advantage of the minimal wind Friday morning. Ally McDonald, who scrambled to an even-par effort, along with Jin Young Ko who picked up a stroke in the difficult afternoon wind, sit four shots behind at (-4) a piece. Big names lurk at (-3), with Sung Hyun Park, Lexi Thompson, Danielle Kang, Charley Hull, and the upgraded consistency of Jing Yan all five back.

Pairings to Watch

*All tee times are local

IK Kim (-8) and Katherine Kirk (-5)

2:01 P.M.- 1^stTee

The leaders tee off last heading into the weekend. Like in the Kia Classic last week, the Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Country Club has played more difficult in the afternoon, with the wind significantly picking up. Kim took advantage of less windy conditions to shoot a tournament best (-7) 65. It was as if she was putting into a hole the size of the ocean, only needing 25 putts to complete the second round. Kim looks for her first win since her first major victory, the 2017 Ricoh British Women’s Open.

Kirk shot out of a cannon to start her round, posting back to back birdies. She then birdied four of five holes from the seventh to the eleventh. A bogey-bogey finish left a sour taste on a sterling performance, with her 68 vaulting her to (-4). The 16-year LPGA veteran is three shots back from taking the lead for her first LPGA major.

Jin Young Ko (-4) and Ally McDonald (-4)

1:51 P.M.- 1^stTee

The first trail group enters the weekend with two stark paths this year. Jin Young Ko has a win under her belt at the Bank of Hope Founder’s Cup, and three other top three finishes to her name in the 2019 season. The Rolex Women’s World Ranking No. 5 player in the world is in familiar territory being in contention on the LPGA Tour. The same cannot be said for her playing partner.

McDonald’s best finish on the season is T29 at the Honda LPGA Thailand. Her best career finish is third place at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in 2018. Her best major result is 13^that the Evian Championship in 2017. She won the 2016 Heather Wilbur Award on the Epson Tour for the dedication, courage, and perseverance towards achieving her dreams as a professional golfer. McDonald will look to those qualities to overcome her nerves as she stares down the barrel of being in contention at a major championship.

Lexi Thompson (-3) and Jeongeun Lee6 (-2)

1:21 P.M.- 1^stTee

Battling the elements, Thompson battled to even par on the day. The 2014 champion remains dominant at the Dinah Shore Course, with an opportunity to contend and add to her ANA Inspiration lore. It’d be her second victory at the ANA Inspiration if she dove into Poppie’s Pond at the end of the week, and her fifth top 10 finish in the last six years at the first major in golf.

Lee6 has been unphased in her rookie campaign, with all four of her starts this year being in the top 20. The Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year leader is making her second appearance in the ANA Inspiration, finishing T16 at (-8). As an amateur, she has two top 10 finishes in majors already. The very first event she started in on the LPGA, she finished T5 at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2017, sitting in 2^ndplace heading into the weekend. She also has a T6 finish at the Evian Championship in 2018.

The Cut

The cut line moved from +3 up to +5 from the start to end of the second round. Notables to miss the cut include Michelle Wie (+7), defending champion Pernilla Lindberg (+7), Celine Boutier (+8), along with Hall of Famers Juli Inkster (+8) and Karrie Webb (+13).

Mike Whan

Numbers to Know

$450,000- The size of the first-place check.

625- The Race to the CME Globe Points for winning this event, double for a major.

94- The high temperature on Sunday, up 17 degrees from the high of the second round.

41- The age of the oldest winner at the ANA Inspiration, when Betsy King won in 1997.

10- The number of rounds in the 60s this week.

3- The years extended on the ANA Inspiration partnership.

TV Times

The weekend will air at the same times on Saturday and Sunday, from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. EST on NBC Golf.

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