December 14th, 2024

China’s Ruoning Yin opens 2-shot lead in LPGA Tour’s LA Open

By The Associated Press on April 1, 2023.

PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. (AP) – Ruoning Yin shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead in the LPGA Tour’s DIO Implant LA Open.

The 20-year-old Chinese player Yin had four birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine at Palos Verdes Golf Club and closed with two pars for a 14-under 199 total.

“After 8, which I made a bogey with a three-putt, I just told myself and I told my caddie, I said, `We just got to trust the line and putt it. We’ll make some putts,'” Yin said.

She opened with rounds of 68 and 64 in her bid to win her first LPGA Tour title.

“That means a lot, and not just for me, but also China Golf,” Yin said about winning. “I think, yeah, it’s going to be a big day.”

Hyo Joo Kim, tied with Yin for the second-round lead, was second after a 69.

“Hopefully, the shots tomorrow will be better than today’s,” said Kim, from South Korea.

Georgia Hall was third at 10 under after a tournament-record and career-best 62. The English woman is coming off a playoff loss Sunday to Celine Boutier in Arizona.

“I’ve been playing well pretty much all year,” Hall said. “It really gave me a lot of confidence last week, although I lost in the playoff, I hit some really good shots. Just really pleased with the way I’m playing and just trying to keep it going.”

Hall played the front nine in 7-under 29 with two eagles and three birdies and added two birdies on the back nine.

“I was just trying to stay really patient and I knew that I could take advantage of the front nine,” Hall said. “I managed to get a couple eagles in there, which I was very happy about.”

Nasa Hataoka, the Japanese player who won last year at Wilshire Country Club, had a 66 to join Danielle Kang (65), Atthaya Thitikul (66) and Perrine Delacour (67) at 9 under. Megan Khang (70) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (71) were 8 under.

___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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