Yang Takes Three-Stroke Lead at U.S. Women's Open


Amy Yang has posted rounds of 3-under 67 and 66 to forge a three-stroke lead at the U.S. Women's Open. The championship started Thursday at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania.

Yang, a 25-year-old South Korean with two victories on the LPGA Tour, with her most recent coming at the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament in March, carded five birdies - including four straight on hole Nos. 11-14 - and a bogey to reach 7-under 133 on the par-70 layout.

Stacy Lewis also recorded a 67 to enter Saturday at 136, joining Japan's Shiho Oyama - who matched Yang's low second round of 66 - in second. Also near the top of the leaderboard is No. 1-ranked Inbee Park, who posted a 70 Friday.

"Today I think it was a little more tricky," Park said of the course set-up. "The pin positions were a little trickier, they had a couple of pins on the false fronts. There were some tough pins out there. I had a lot of good shots and good putts. But I ran a lot of the edges. I left a couple out there, but I still feel good. The first two rounds in the Open and I have shot under par, so I'm happy with that."

Australia's Karrie Webb began the day tied for the lead with American Marina Alex after each opened with 66s. But Webb, a World Golf Hall of Fame member winner of the 2000 U.S. Women's Open among her seven major titles, couldn't get untracked, carding two birdies and four bogeys.

The 24-year-old Alex, who played in the 2009 Open as an amateur, posted a 71 and goes into Saturday in solo fourth at 137. "Yesterday, tee to green I was really, really solid. Today off the tee I struggled in certain parts. I just didn't really find a good rhythm, but I managed to just fight through that. I made a lot of good pars. I had a small hiccup on 13, made a double, but I knew there was a couple of holes coming in there where I could make birdies, 14 and 16, definitely, which I did.

"I was really happy that I was able to kind of fight back and take advantage. I made an unbelievable par on 18 after driving it into the greenside bunker on the right. My scrambling was good today."

Defending U.S. Women's Open champion Michelle Wie followed up her opening 72 with a 68 to get to even-par 140.

The 36-hole cut was set at 4-over 144. No. 2 Lydia Ko qualified for the weekend after rounds of 72 and 70.

For all the scores, visit http://www.usga.org/championships/2015/u-s--women-s-open/scoring.html.