Korda shoots 67 to roar back into contention at US Women's Open

[p]She trailed a pair of co-leaders on four-under after two rounds at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles - American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lee-alison/MqcuL3pE/"]Alison Lee[/a] and world number four [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yin-ruoning/Ye6tQIW5/"]Yin Ruoning[/a] of China.[/p][embed guid="f5f98e9b-d650-482e-a273-0188348b3b92" url="https://x.com/GOLF_com/status/2063067813804466636?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"Overall, just really happy with the way my game is trending, especially from yesterday," [/b]said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/korda-nelly/4OpkdK7D/"]Korda[/a].[/p][p][b]"It was weird because I was striking it so well Monday through Wednesday, and all of a sudden... I had no idea what was going on yesterday with my driver.[/b][/p][p][b]"So, I tried to figure it out on the range after the round and got a little bit of something going.[/b][/p][p][b]"Yeah, I still hit a few out right today, but it was much, much better."[/b][/p][p]Three-time major winner Korda, seeking her first US Open title, had been seven strokes off the lead overnight, but wasted no time closing the gap.[/p][p]She birdied the par-five first hole, a pinpoint approach gave her a tap-in on seven, and she sank an 11-foot putt on nine.[/p][embed guid="996a3862-19e2-4b69-ac89-52eaf6adb4fa" url="https://x.com/GolfChannel/status/2063029376191516744?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]A fourth birdie out of the rough on the par-five 11th was followed by her only bogey of the day on 12, where her short putt dribbled right after a sliced drive and overlong approach.[/p][p]But Korda, chasing her second straight major title after victory in the Chevron Championship in April, upped the pressure on the leaders again with a birdie on 17 to end tied-ninth on two-under.[/p][p]Korda credited her sister for improving her swing with advice given on the driving range after Thursday's frustrating round to just try to [b]"strengthen my grip a little bit."[/b][/p][p][b]"It felt super funky today, but I just trusted and went with it,"[/b] she said.[/p][p]Yin enjoyed a bogey-free round of 69, while Los Angeles native and fellow co-leader Lee racked up four birdies on her way to an impressive 68 as she pursues her first major.[/p][embed guid="546ae106-d9db-4f5d-ae0f-f520d87d8793" url="https://x.com/uswomensopen/status/2063075217363050968?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]A shot back on a bunched leaderboard were South Korea's Chun In-gee, Yoo Hyun-jo, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-sei-young/A74pNv5J/"]Kim Sei-young[/a], Japan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shibuno-hinako/rRN4q2Vu/"]Hinako Shibuno[/a], Mexico's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopez-gaby/4b3zplst/"]Gaby Lopez[/a], and overnight leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kupcho-jennifer/8OgeYESC/"]Jennifer Kupcho[/a] - all on three-under par.[/p][p]Having started on the back nine, Kupcho bogeyed her final two holes to slip down the leaderboard.[/p][p]She scuffed her approach on the eighth hole and then had to chip out of a steep-lipped fairway bunker on the ninth.[/p][p]It meant she followed her opening round 66 with a two-over-par 73, which included a total of four bogeys and two birdies.[/p][p]The American - chasing her second major title, after her 2022 Chevron Championship win - said she remained optimistic, noting that[b] "almost after every bogey I've come back and made a birdie."[/b][/p][p][b]"So just telling myself that really any hole is birdieable. I just need to go out and hit the shots and do the best that I can,"[/b] she said.[/p][p]The tournament is taking place on the Los Angeles course that will be the venue for Olympic golf at the 2028 Summer Games.[/p]