Beginning the day at three-under, 26-year-old Ko carded a blemish-free round of 64, and moved to 11-under for the tournament in the US. At the halfway stage, Ko sits in a four-way tie for fifth place and is three shots off the leader heading into the final two rounds of the event.
The Kiwi made an impressive eight birdies in her round, including five on the front nine to finish her day’s work.
Saturday’s (NZ time) effort came after Ko made three-under on the first day and she is yet to drop a shot this tournament.
Ko sits level with Japan’s Yuka Saso, who made nine-under in her second round, Germany’s Caroline Masson (seven-under) and Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn (two-under).
Australia’s Hannah Green is the clubhouse leader, sitting at 14-under after an 11-under second round, which included a run of six consecutive birdies to finish.
Germany’s Isi Gabsa and Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels could contend with the leaders, both sitting at eight-under and yet to begin their second round as the first group of players left the course.
Currently ranked eighth in the world, Ko needs just one more tournament victory to earn a spot in the LPGA’s Hall of Fame.
“I don’t think I fall asleep or wake up in a day thinking about the Hall of Fame,” Ko said before the tournament. “I think people around me think about it more than I do.
Lydia Ko's last win came in January this year when she lifted the trophy at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Photo / Getty Images
“To be honest, last year I thought a lot about it, just because you’re so close.
“Being in the Hall of Fame was never really a big goal of mine because I didn’t think that I was maybe capable to be part of those players that are already in the Hall of Fame.
“After such a great year in 22, I think it was the first time I was like, ‘oh, maybe I could be a Hall of Famer’. Obviously, we all know that last year didn’t go as well as I would’ve liked.
“But, I said before in other interviews, being one point away seems a little easier than two. Sometimes it’s just easier said than done. Some players win for their first time in 10 years. It’s just not that easy.”
In her LPGA career, Ko has 20 tournament victories - including two Majors - with her last win coming in January 2024, when she lifted the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions title.
On the PGA Tour, Ryan Fox has made the cut at the Texas Children’s Houston Open; just his third made cut in seven tournaments on the American tour this year.
Fox had a nervous wait after he finished his second round as he sat just below the cut line at one-over. Posting a one-over 71 in his first round, Fox flirted with the cut line for the entirety of his second round, but did some good damage control late with back-to-back birdies on the par-three 15th and par-five 16th, however he followed those with a bogey - getting unlucky as his tee shot hit the turn before rolling a few metres into the water. A par on his final hole saw him finish the round at even par and one-over for the tournament.
At that point, the cut line was even par, but things fell in Fox’s favour as the rest of the players finished their rounds and he will go into the weekend 10 shots behind leader, and defending champion, Tony Finau.
Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.
