Nelly Korda is back on the hunt for another LPGA title, as the World No. 1 caught co-leader Brianna Do for the 36-hole lead at the Riviera May Open at Mayakoba on Friday in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Korda — fresh off her third major victory at last week’s Chevron Championship and having regained the No. 1 ranking — shot a 5-under-par 67 in the second round at El Camaleon Golf Course to get to 9-under 135 entering the weekend.
She tied Do, who shared the first-round lead with Melanie Green and posted a 69 Friday. Do held the top spot at 10 under for most of her inward nine, but she committed her only flub on her final hole, a bogey at the par-4 ninth, to slip back to single figures.
Green (70) ended the day alone in third at 8 under, and Japan’s Minami Katsu (68) sits in fourth at 7 under.
Korda birdied three holes on the front nine and two more coming home without a bogey. She hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, despite only finding 7 of 14 fairways.
“Overall just a solid day. You know, didn’t make any mistakes really. If I did, I bounced back really well,” Korda said.
In five starts before this week, Korda, 27, has two victories and three second-place finishes.
Do provides a sharp contrast. The 36-year-old has been grinding on tour since her rookie year in 2013 and has exactly one top-10 finish on her resume — which happened to come at this event last year.
Ranked No. 345 in the world, Do said she carried the momentum from her opening 66 into Friday, with birdies at Nos. 10 and 11 to kick off her round.
“I put myself in that position last year here and so I think I’m going to be a little more prepared for it this year,” Do said of contending. “I don’t think you’re ever very comfortable being in contention and leading, and so I’m going accept it and kind of just play within myself and feel the feels and kind of see what happens. Just accept what happens.”
Yu Liu of China eagled the par-5 18th to post the round of the day, a 66 that brought her to 6 under and a tie for fifth with Spain’s Carlota Ciganda (71).
Tied for seventh at 5 under are Olivia Cowan of Germany (68), Sofia Garcia of Paraguay (69), Arpichaya Yubol of Thailand (69) and Gaby Lopez of Mexico (71).
Lopez missed the cut at the Riviera May Open last year in its debut on the schedule. Now she is grateful to be in contention at the tournament in her home country while playing in a group with Korda.
“It’s been really, really fun to play in Mexico, play with Nelly,” Lopez said. “Today wasn’t exactly my day. I didn’t hit it as good off the tee. Got myself a little bit in trouble.
“But very happy how I’m hitting my irons. The putts are just patiently hoping to drop. Yeah, very happy with how I’m feeling inside the golf course.”
