Ina Yoon is making the difficult look easy at El Caballero Country Club.

The Republic of Korea standout surged into contention at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro on Friday, carding an impressive 8-under-par 64 to move into third place. After an opening-round 68, Yoon sits at 10-under for the tournament, fueled by a front-nine performance that saw her turn with a 29.

"The first nine holes were awesome," Yoon said following her round. "I’ve never shot 29 for nine holes in my life. It was unbelievable."

Yoon’s bogey-free second round was a masterclass in precision, featuring eight birdies and a display of power off the tee that has become her trademark. While she admitted the back nine felt like a "little bummer" compared to her hot start, she maintained her composure through several tricky putts to keep a clean scorecard.

Currently in her second season on the LPGA Tour, Yoon is no stranger to the winner's circle. She arrived in Los Angeles with a resume that includes two KLPGA titles at the 2024 Jeju Samdasoo Masters and the 2022 Evercollagen Queens Crown.

When asked why the tight corridors of "El Cab" seem to suit her game, Yoon pointed to her greatest strength.

"I think I have a pretty good driver when I play," said the LPGA Tour sophomore. "I think I'm a pretty good driver player. When you hit a good tee shot, then you have a lot of opportunity to take birdies—a lot of birdies."

The field has struggled to keep pace with the aggressive scoring at the top of the leaderboard. While other players found success on the back nine yesterday, Yoon proved that the front nine is equally vulnerable to a hot hand.

As the tournament heads into the weekend, Yoon finds herself in prime position to chase her first LPGA Tour victory. With the lead within reach, the young star remains focused on the simple mechanics that got her here: hitting it long and staying steady on the greens. If her "unbelievable" momentum continues, she may soon add an LPGA trophy to her collection.

Ina Yoon Fires Flawless 64 to Surge into Contention at JM Eagle LA Championship

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