Ina Yoon Extends Lead at Women’s PGA Championship

Ina Yoon, 23, shot a 3-under-par 69 in round 2 at Hazeltine, extending her lead to five strokes after 36 holes. Her total of 12 under follows a record-setting 63 in round 1, making her the leader heading into the weekend.

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The tournament has had calm weather and temperatures, but organizers anticipate stronger winds and tighter pins on the final days. The 36-hole average of 70.5 is the lowest since 2008. Yoon becomes the fourth champion—after Mickey Wright (1958), In-Gee Chun (2022) and Cristie Kerr (2010)—to lead by five or more strokes after two rounds.

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South Korean A Lin Kim (70) and Hae Ran Ryu (64) filled four of the top seven spots; Japan’s Nasa Hataoka tied for second. Brooke Henderson posted a 68 with three consecutive birdies. World No. 1 Nelly Korda shot 68, tying Dongeun Lee (68) for sixth, and recorded six straight pars after an early hook. Yoon’s five-stroke margin is the fourth such lead in championship history.

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Yoon said she will “embrace” the nerves of the final two days, focus on each shot, and noted stronger winds and tighter pins, praising the course’s grass and layout. Korda acknowledged the pressure of a large lead, emphasizing a “one-shot-at-a-time” approach. Henderson expressed optimism for the second half, hoping birdies will close the gap. Korda also joked about the course’s left-to-right orientation versus the previous major at Riviera.

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• “The remaining two days will obviously be nerve-racking, but being nervous is human nature, and I think I want to embrace that and focus on what I can in my shots,” — Ina Yoon, Player

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• “I know the wind will be higher this weekend so it's going to play probably a little bit more difficult, and I'm sure that the pins will be tricked up.” — Ina Yoon, Player

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• “It is hard to have a big lead going into the weekend. I was there at Chevron and you do feel a little bit more pressure, like everyone is hunting you down. I'm just going to focus on, as boring as it is, one shot at a time and see where that takes me,” — Nelly Korda, World No. 1

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• “It's halfway done. She had a great first half, so hopefully I can just have a great second half to try to make up the difference,” — Brooke Henderson, Former Champion

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Stronger winds and tighter pins, challenges Yoon highlighted, are expected. Competitors such as Henderson and Ryu will need multiple birdies to erase the five-stroke gap. Korda’s single-shot focus suggests she will aim to stay within striking distance. The weekend will test Yoon’s composure navigating tougher conditions.

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