LOS ANGELES — Ingrid Lindblad took a share of the lead into the weekend at El Caballero Nation Membership in solely the fourth begin of her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.
Lindblad shot a career-best 9-under 63 in cool circumstances Friday afternoon to hitch Ashleigh Buhai atop the leaderboard at 13-under 131 within the JM Eagle LA Championship.
“I really feel like should you put the work in, like ultimately it’ll present up,” mentioned Lindblad, the 25-year-old former LSU star from Sweden. “Clearly, it is exhausting to inform precisely when it’ll present up, however, clearly, I really feel like I have been engaged on good issues in my golf sport that I must get higher at. After a day like this, it reveals that it paid off.”
With the temperature solely climbing into the low 60s on an overcast day, Lindblad had 10 birdies and a bogey on the primary 14 holes. She parred the ultimate 4.
“I believed I learn the greens rather well,” Lindblad mentioned. “It wasn’t identical to tap-ins for par. It was 10-footers, 17-footers. I learn the greens rather well. Thought I had good velocity on the greens. Actually only one putt that ran away from me and I three-putted it.”
Buhai had a share of the lead for the second straight day after opening with a 63 to match Yan Liu. The 35-year-old South African participant parred the ultimate 5 holes Friday in a 68. She gained the 2022 Ladies’s British Open for the primary of her two LPGA Tour victories.
Minjee Lee was 12 underneath after a 65 within the morning. She gained the 2019 match at Wilshire Nation Membership.
“I feel simply being in the precise spot off the tee and, clearly, simply hitting good iron photographs into the greens,” Lee mentioned. “A number of the greens are somewhat bit greater, there are greater touchdown spots.”
The match is being performed at El Caballero due to renovations at Wilshire. It is going to return to Wilshire subsequent season.
Liu had a 70 to drop right into a tie for fourth at 11 underneath with Lauren Coughlin (67) and Miyu Yamashita (65).
Prime-ranked Nelly Korda was 9 underneath after a 68 in her closing begin earlier than her title protection subsequent week in Houston within the main Chevron Championship.
“In the midst of the entrance 9 simply had somewhat bit after hiccup with form of a foolish double and a bogey to again it up,” Korda mentioned. “So, fought my manner again to even by means of 9 and form of performed some strong golf on the again 9.”
Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul additionally was 9 underneath, capturing 67.
Two-time defending champion Hannah Inexperienced was 8 underneath after a 67.
Asterisk Talley, the 16-year-old Californian enjoying on a sponsor exemption missed the reduce by a stroke, capturing 69-72. The latest runner-up on the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Novice, she was second final yr at El Caballero within the U.S. Women Junior.
