The leaderboard at the LPGA Tour’s BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea has a new name at the top heading into the weekend. Australia’s Hannah Green surged into the lead after completing her weather-delayed second round on Saturday morning, firing an impressive 8-under par 64 at the Seowon Valley Country Club to reach 16-under par overall.
Green, the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner, had already posted a strong opening round of 64 on Thursday. But when play was suspended due to rain on Friday afternoon, the 25-year-old from Perth still had half a round to complete. Unfazed by the disruption, Green returned to the course on Saturday and picked up right where she left off.
Green Completes Bogey-Free 64 to Seize the Lead
Resuming her round on the back nine, Green reeled off three consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 14 to quickly climb the leaderboard. She added another birdie at the par-5 18th to make the turn at 4-under par for the round, and 12-under overall.
The Aussie star continued her bogey-free play on her second nine, tacking on four more birdies to complete a stellar round of 64. Green’s two-day total of 128 was good for a two-shot lead over South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, who also finished her second round on Saturday with a 66.
I was kind of like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to be awake in six hours.’ But obviously when I came out, I must have slept well because I played well yesterday and continued that on today.
Hannah Green, on the quick turnaround to complete her second round on Saturday morning
Green is seeking her third career LPGA Tour title and first since that major breakthrough at the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA. The Aussie is in top form, having posted five top-10 finishes so far in 2022, including a runner-up at the Lotte Championship in April.
Buhai, Ko, Shin Lead the Chase Heading into the Weekend
Chasing Green heading into the weekend is recent AIG Women’s Open champion Ashleigh Buhai. The South African, who captured her maiden major title in a playoff at Muirfield in August, carded a bogey-free 66 on Saturday to reach 14-under par, two shots behind Green.
Two shots further back at 11-under par are Paris Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko and South Korea’s Jenny Shin. Ko continued her strong play with a second-round 66, while Shin posted a 69 after opening with a 65 on Thursday.
Star-Studded Field Aims to Make Weekend Charge
With 17 of this year’s 18 LPGA Tour winners in the elite field this week in Korea, there are plenty of big names with the firepower to make a weekend charge up the leaderboard:
- World No. 1 Jin Young Ko (-9)
- Defending BMW Ladies champion Hyo Joo Kim (-8)
- Rookie sensation Atthaya Thitikul (-7)
- 12-time LPGA winner Sei Young Kim (-7)
- World No. 3 Minjee Lee (-6)
Notable names missing from this week’s event include world No. 2 Nelly Korda, who withdrew due to a lingering neck injury, and Canadian star Brooke Henderson.
| Player | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hannah Green | Australia | -16 |
| 2. Ashleigh Buhai | South Africa | -14 |
| T3. Lydia Ko | New Zealand | -11 |
| T3. Jenny Shin | South Korea | -11 |
The stage is set for an exciting weekend at the Seowon Valley Country Club, as Hannah Green aims to fend off a star-studded field and capture her first LPGA title in over three years. With major champions like Buhai and Ko lurking just behind, and a host of the tour’s biggest names within striking distance, the BMW Ladies Championship is shaping up for a thrilling finish in South Korea.
