Playing in front of a passionate home crowd at El Camaleon Golf Course at Mayakoba on Friday, Gaby Lopez carded a 1-under 71 in the second round of the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba to reach 5-under 139 through 36 holes.

Lopez sits in a tie for fifth through the morning wave of play, four shots behind co-leaders Nelly Korda and Brianna Do, who are both at 9-under 135 with the afternoon wave still on the course.

The Mexico native navigated a roller-coaster round that featured four birdies and three bogeys, repeatedly testing her patience and resilience on the demanding layout. Lopez opened steadily, making a birdie at the par-5 fifth hole to reach 5-under for the tournament before turning in 35 — 5-under overall — through nine holes.

The back nine proved trickier. Lopez gave back a shot at the par-4 12th, then quickly answered with a birdie at the par-5 13th to climb back to 5-under. A bogey at the par-4 16th threatened to unravel her round, but Lopez closed with a birdie at the par-5 18th to post her 71 and salvage a solid result.

A highlight of the round came at the eighth hole, where Lopez executed a remarkable recovery from a hazard to save par, a moment that kept her round from spiraling.

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“Today wasn’t exactly my day,” Lopez said after her round. “I didn’t hit it as good off the tee. Got myself a little bit in trouble. But very happy how I’m hitting my irons. The putts are just patiently hoping to drop.”

Lopez, a three-time LPGA Tour winner, enters the weekend riding solid recent form — she finished T5 at the Fortinet Founders Cup in March and posted a T12 at The Chevron Championship last week. She has made all six cuts this season.

When asked about the keys to scoring well at El Camaleon, Lopez emphasized course management above all else.

“Hit the fairway — don’t hit the jungle,” she said with a smile. “You have to have both shots off the tee, a draw and a fade. You have to be very patient on some of the hole locations and aggressive on the par-5s.”

With 36 holes remaining in this second-year LPGA Tour event, Lopez will need to make a move if she wants to contend. The afternoon wave is still completing its second rounds, and her tie for fifth position could shift before the day is done.

Gaby Lopez Shines in Front of Home Crowd, Sits at 5-Under Through 36 Holes at Mayakoba

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