MADEIRA (Ohio) – Peiyun Chen, despite battling illness and missing out on three of her four last events, blew up the first two rounds of the Kroger City Championship. She now leads the leaderboard heading into the weekend.
Chien, 6 under par after his 66 on Thursday, made an eagle at the sixth hole.
The eagle’s performance was incredible. Chien: “I was hoping it would happen because I had a number of shots that almost went in the past couple of weeks. But I’m still waiting on an eagle.” “It happened so I’m happy.”
The 32-year old paired her long-awaited eagle shot with five birdies in the back nine, moving to the top of the leaderboard. She has a Frida score of 64 and two-day total 130. She leads three other golfers by 4 shots at 14 under.
She missed the 17th fairway but made it out of the rough, onto the green and sank a long putt for birdie. Chien made a long birdie on the 18th, the hole where she had her only bogey of the first round. This was her lowest round this year at the LPGA.
Ruixin Liu hit out of a bunker near to the 10th hole during the second round at the 2023 Kroger City Championship held at Kenwood Country Club, Madeira, Ohio. (Photo by Liz Dufour/The Enquirer).
Chien stated, “I have putted well the past two days.” “I change my putter every week.” “I change my putter every week. But I’ve used the same one in eight tournaments. I’m happy.”
Chien’s two-round score of 140 is 14 strokes higher than the 140 she had in last year’s inaugural Kroger Queen City Championship when she failed to make the cut.
Chien, after the first round of Thursday’s tournament, said: “Last season (in Cincinnati), I played poorly because we did not have any practice rounds.” “I’ve taken a lot notes (for this season) so I know how to play greens.”
Chien has missed the cut in three of her last four tournaments, but she did finish 8th at the ISPS Honda World Invitational back in August. Chien is currently ranked 60th on the CME Rankings and is looking for her first LPGA win. She is also aiming to finish in the top 10 of this season’s rankings.
“One shot at a time, just every shot.” Chien stated that she wanted to do well in America, and then return to Asia to compete at the Asian Games on behalf of her country.
Third place is a three-way tie
World No. Ruoning Yi shot a 6-under-66 and moved up to second after the second round. Yin’s score was a bogey free round with two birdies on the last three holes. She will move up to the No. 1 spot if she finishes among the top four players this week. The Rolex Rankings are ranked No. 1.
“I’ll make as many birdies as I can.” Yin told the audience that she would stick to her game and try to stay with the same approach. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Morgane Metraux, Ruixin Liu and Yin are tied at second place. Liu, the leader after the first day of play on Thursday, shot 3-under-69 to catch up with the rest of the field.
Yuka Saso (ranked No. 15) is back in the mix at Kenwood after carding seven birdies through her first 12 holes. After seven birdies in her first twelve holes, 15 is back on the leaderboard at Kenwood. Saso and Charley Hull, from England, are tied for fifth.
Saso, 22, who has finished in the top 10 seven times this year, shot 32 on the first nine holes and then opened the second nine with three consecutive birdies. Saso, a 22-year-old who has seven top-10 finishes this year, shot a 32 on the front nine and opened the back with three consecutive birdies.
Saso stated, “I believe my putting today was better than yesterday.” “My longest putt was probably seven paces. Not too far. “I think I got the chance today because I took good chances and I also gave myself some.”
Hataoka scores the highest score of the Day
Japan’s Nasa Hasaoka is CME’s number one. The No. 24 ranked golfer shot the best 9-under-par 63 in the field on Friday. Hataoka started his bogey free round as well as it could be with birdies at four of the five first holes.
The 24-year old, who has six LPGA wins to her credit, shot a 1-over-73 in the first round on Thursday. Hataoka, who started in 88th position and jumped to tied for seventh place Friday, made the largest leap in the standings of all the players. She also shot the best round so far in Cincinnati.
(Photo: Liz Dufour/The Enquirer) Spectators watched the action at the second round 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship held at Kenwood Country Club, Madeira, Ohio. (Photo: Liz Dufour/The Enquirer).
Hataoka equaled the Queen City scoring record for 18 holes.
Hataoka stated, “I am very pleased to have finished today with 9-under.” “My putting has improved a lot since yesterday. My aim was very off, particularly left-to-right. “I just fixed it yesterday after the round, and it feels great.”
The defending champion is back in the mix
Ally Ewing won the inaugural tournament in 2013. She recovered from a bogey at the first hole to score a 33. She shot 70 on Friday and is now 5 under par for the tournament.
What about Hammond, you ask?
Mia Hammond (15), a native of New Albany, Ohio, who received a sponsor invitation and was the only amateur on the course, missed the cut when she finished 5 over par in the second round. Hammond shot an even round on Thursday with three birdies, three bogeys and nine consecutive pars. Hammond, however, had three bogeys, a double bogey, and three bogeys on the front-9.
Marissa Steen, a West Chester native who is currently the assistant women’s golf coach at University of Cincinnati, missed out on the cut as well with a 5-over-77 on Friday.
Allisen Corpuz, the U.S. Open champion, is one of notables who missed out on the cut.
