BRADENTON, Fla. — Three-time champion Jin Young Ko birdied six of her last nine holes Friday for an 8-under 63 and a two-stroke lead over four players in the LPGA Tour’s Founders Cup.
Ko had a 12-under 130 total at Bradenton Country Club after her second straight bogey-free round.
“Golf is hard, so if lose focus, can make bogey or double,” Ko said.
The 29-year-old South Korean player won the tournament that honors the tour’s founders in 2019 at Desert Ridge in Phoenix, 2021 at Mountain Ridge in New Jersey and 2023 in a playoff at Upper Montclair, also in New Jersey.
Yealimi Noh had a 64 to match fellow American Angel Yin — who shot her second straight bogey-free 66 — and Japan’s Minami Katsu (65) and South Korea’s Jin Hee Im (66) at 10 under. American Lauren Coughlin was another stroke back after a 67.
Playing the back nine first in her afternoon round, Ko opened with a birdie and added another on the 16th. She started her front-nine run with birdies on Nos. 1 and 2, added another on No. 4, then made three straight on Nos. 6-8.
“I focused very well and I’m just trying to do my best,” said Ko, who broke the course record on the layout that hosted a Drive On event last year. “Shot was very consistency from the tee, from the second. I had a lot of good birdie chance, but I missed some putts.”
The 15-time LPGA Tour winner played alongside top-ranked Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee during the first two days.
“Really fun to play with Nelly and Minjee, of course,” Ko said. “I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Playing in her Gulf Coast hometown, Korda was tied for 13th at 6 under after her second 69. She won the Drive On tournament on the course last year for the first of her seven 2024 victories.
Lee was even par after a 72.
Noh closed with a bogey on the par-3 ninth after birdieing five of the previous six holes.
“Just trying to keep it simple,” Noh said. “Hitting fairways and a lot of greens never hurts, so just try to keep doing the same thing and keep the same tempo and rhythm.”
The long-hitting Yin eagled the par-5 sixth on her back nine. Yin and Ko are only players without a bogey.
“It’s really tough, honestly,” Yin said. “This is really challenging. … Wind picks up and everything gets really tight.
Lexi Thompson was tied for 18th, shooting her second 69 in the fog-delayed morning session.