S. Korean Yang takes second round lead at LPGA event

Yang Soo-jin of South Korea shot a record-tying 65 Saturday for a one-shot lead over world No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan after the second round at the LPGA Hana Bank Championship. Yang's bogey-free round at the par-72 Ocean Course at the Sky72 Golf Club in Incheon, west of Seoul, tied a score set by Tseng in the opening round on Friday. She now leads by one shot Tseng and two-time defending champion Choi Na-yeon of South Korea going into Sunday's final round. Yang, 20, has won three times on the Korean ladies' tour in the past two seasons, but has never won an LPGA event. The first-round leader Tseng had a roller coaster round on Saturday. She mixed four birdies with three bogeys on the front nine en route to a 70. Choi kept her pace with a 68 Saturday following a 67 on Friday. She has not yet committed a bogey over the first two rounds. Three shots behind were two South Koreans, Kang Ji-min and Chella Choi. Kang overcame a double bogey on par-4 15th for a 69, while Choi managed a 71 after picking up a lone birdie on the par-4 10th. On the leader board dominated by Koreans, Angela Stanford and Brittany Lincicome, both from the U.S., are each at five-under in a five-way tie for seventh. Suzann Pettersen, who ranks second in the world, slumped to a 75 to fall to three-over. She scored only one birdie against two bogeys and one double bogey. World No. 3 Cristie Kerr recorded a 70 on Saturday after a 72 on Friday. Michelle Wie, a Korean-American fan favorite here, is at two-over after a second round of 74. This is the 10th edition of the only LPGA Tour event in South Korea each year. South Koreans have won seven of the nine previous editions. The winner will take home US$270,000.