CLIFTON, N.J. — Nelly Korda has no intention of letting anyone run away with the Cognizant Founders Cup and end her bid to become the first player to win six straight LPGA Tour tournaments.

Hear that Rose Zhang and Madelene Sagstrom.

Faced with a 10-stroke deficit starting her second round Friday in the event that honors the tour’s founding members, Korda shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 in cold, damp conditions to move into third place, four shots behind leaders Zhang and Sagstrom with 36 holes to play.

The round matched the best of the day, which Sagstrom established less than an hour earlier in the afternoon. Zhang, who tied Sagstrom’s tournament record with a 63 on Thursday, had a 68 playing in the morning.

The 20-year-old Zhang and the 31-year-old Swede, who are tied at 13-under 131 on the Upper Montclair Country Club, each have won once on the LPGA Tour. After failing to win in her first start, the 25-year-old Korda has done nothing but win, with her current run of five tying Hall of Famers Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam for the tour record.

Korda had six birdies, capped with a roughly 6-footer at the par-4 18th. Her four-shot deficit at the halfway point isn’t bad. She trailed by five shots at the Seri Pak Championship, by four at the Ford Championship and six strokes in the T-Mobile Match Play where the field was cut after the third round.

“I putted really well today,” said Korda, who started when Zhang finished and didn’t know how much ground she had to make up. “Even when I didn’t hit it close my putts just scared the hole. Overall very pleased with how I played today and hopefully I can take that into the next 36 holes.”

Zhang followed a tournament record-tying opening round of 63 with a morning-best 68 Friday. The two-time NCAA champion has not won since capturing the Mizuho Americas Open in her professional debut a year ago last year.

“”It’s really just me trying to stay as composed as possible,” said Zhang, who had five birdies and her first bogey. “I’m really enjoying it and for the most part I think there is always learning curves. So no matter what happens the next two days I’m going to take it all in.”

WELLS FARGO: Xander Schauffele shot a 4-under 67 after opening with a 64, leaving him at 11-under 131 and four shots ahead of Rory McIlroy and Jason Day heading into the weekend at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 30-year-old Schauffele has seven top-10 finishes this season, but no wins. He’s looking to snap a winless streak that dates to July 2022 at the Genesis Scottish Open.

“I’ve had a few knocks on the door and I just tell myself to keep knocking,” Schauffele said.

Taylor Moore and Sungjae Im were five strokes back at 6 under.

MYRTLE BEACH: Chris Gotterup birdied the final final four holes and six of the last eight for a 7-under 64 and a one-stroke lead over Robert MacIntyre  after the second round of the PGA Tour’s inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic.

After making two birdies and and a bogey on the front nine at Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Gotterup played the back nine in 6-under 30 in windy conditions. He made a 50-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th and a 17-footer from the fringe on the par-4 18th.

MacIntyre, a Scot who was tied for the first-round lead with Beau Hossler after a 64, shot a 67.

Jorge Campillo of Spain had his second 66 to get to 10 under. Hossler (69), Alex Smalley (65), Davis Thompson (68) and Alistair Docherty (68) were 9 under.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Softball: Freeport stays undefeated in turnaround season by rolling past Wells

Next »

Sports Digest: Rumble Ponies start fast and beat Sea Dogs