Ko stays flawless, grabs lead after 63; Saso in, Pagdanganan out

MANILA, Philippines -- Former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko delivered a scintillating performance at the Bradenton Country Club, firing a solid eight-under-par 63 to surge ahead of the stellar field at the halfway mark of the Founders Cup in Bradenton, Florida on Friday (Saturday Manila time).

Following a bogey-free 67 in the opening round, Ko maintained her impeccable form with a stellar 33-30 card. She tore through the back nine with six birdies, overtaking early co-leaders Jennifer Kupcho and Nanna Madsen to establish a two-stroke lead at 12-under 130 after 36 holes in the $2-million LPGA Tour championship.

Yealimi Noh headlines a group of challengers at 10-under, alongside Minami Katsu (65), Angel Yin (66), and Jin Hee Im (66). Noh had a chance to get within one stroke of Ko but bogeyed the final hole, settling for a 64.

Meanwhile, Yuka Saso struggled to find her rhythm, barely making the cut at tied 50th with a two-round total of 142 (72-70), leaving her 12 strokes behind the leader.

Still looking to bounce back from a disappointing tied for 30th finish in a field of 32 in last week's Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions after a final round 85, Saso managed just three birdies against two bogeys for a second-round 70.

Fellow Filipina and ICTSI teammate Bianca Pagdanganan, however, struggled in her LPGA season debut, missing the cut after rounds of 76 and 70 for a total of 146.

With two rounds remaining, Ko, a Solaire ambassadress, is well-positioned to break a long title drought, showcasing the form that once made her the world’s No. 1 player in 2019 and 2021. However, she faces stiff competition over the weekend, with a deep field of contenders eager to challenge her lead.

Among those still in the hunt are Lauren Coughlin, who sits at 133 after a second-round 67, and a tightly packed group at 135, including Hannah Green (65), Nasa Hataoka (66), Miyu Yamashita (67), Sarah Schmelzel (68), Madsen (70), and Kupcho (70).

As the Founders Cup heads into the decisive rounds, all eyes will be on Ko to see if she can maintain her dominance and return to the LPGA winner’s circle.