Ko Jin-young's 5-Under Surge "Leaps to Lead"... Driver 1 Stroke Behind in 2nd Place

Cambia Portland Classic Day 2: Time Da 3rd, Lee Jeong-eun 6 and Lee Jeong-eun Tied 4th, Park Sung-hyun Tied 14th

Ko Jin-young is teeing off on the 8th hole on the second day of the Cambia Portland Classic. Portland, USA - Photo by Getty Images/Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ‘Number 2’ Ko Jin-young (26) takes the lead.

On the 18th (Korean time), at the Oregon Golf Club in Portland, Oregon, USA (par 72, 6,478 yards), during the second day of the LPGA Tour Cambia Portland Classic (total prize money $1.4 million), she surged with a 5-under-par round to take the top spot on the leaderboard at 8-under-par 136. Gemma Dryver (Scotland) is in 2nd place (7-under-par 137), Carlota Ciganda (Spain) is 3rd (5-under-par 139), and Lee Jeong-eun6 (25, Daebang Construction) and Lee Jeong-eun (33) are tied for 4th place (4-under-par 140).

Starting from a tie for 4th place, just one stroke behind, Ko Jin-young collected six birdies and one bogey. She reduced three strokes in the front nine with ‘stepping stone birdies’ on holes 3 and 5 and a birdie on hole 9 (par 4). In the back nine, after a bogey on hole 11 (par 4) to catch her breath, she showed fierce stamina with consecutive birdies on holes 13 and 14 and another birdie on hole 17 (par 3). Her putting was outstanding with only 23 putts in the round, a ‘stingy putting’ performance. She leads by one stroke, aiming for her second win of the season and ninth career victory, two months after the VOA Classic in July.

Dryver added 3-under-par and is competing for the win for the second consecutive day. Ciganda, who was co-leader the previous day, slipped to 3rd place with a 1-under-par round. From Korea, Shin Ji-eun (29, Hanwha Q CELLS) is tied for 4th, Park Sung-hyun (28) is tied for 14th (1-under-par 143), 2009 champion Heo Mi-jeong (32, Daebang Construction) is tied for 20th (even par 144), Kwak Min-seo (31) is tied for 37th (2-over-par 146), and Kim A-rim (26, SBI Savings Bank) is tied for 50th (4-over-par 148), all advancing to the third round.