Once again, 2023 LPGA Tour rookie Rose Zhang finds herself atop the leaderboard at the Cognizant Founders Cup after a second round 68 to put her at 13-under over 36 holes of play. This time however, she is joined by Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom who fired off a 66 to follow up her opening round 65.
Zhang, starting on the back-nine on Friday, started slow and steady in wet and chilly conditions with just a birdie on No. 12 and a bogey on No. 16 to show on the card. After the turn, the birdies began to drop recording four on the front on holes 2, 3, 5 and 7.
“I guess collectively overall I've gotten a little bit more confident with making sure that I'm making my putts and hitting them online with the right speeds,” said Zhang about what has been clicking now. “That's been kind of a struggle the last couple events that I've been playing in, so it's nice to see a couple drop. At the same time, I was able to hit some shots and really put myself in positions where I can make nose birdie opportunities. So I think overall it's just those two that really clicked. Feeling pretty solid about my game. Next two days it's going to be still very windy, rainy conditions, and I bet the course is going to play just as long.”
Opposite of Zhang, Sagstrom recorded a bogey-free front with five birdies, including back-to-back on Nos. 8 and 9. A double-bogey on No. 10 looked to derail the momentum she brought through the turn but she quickly recovered with a birdie on No. 11 and then made her second eagle of the week on No. 12. A bogey on No. 13 and her seventh birdie of the round propelled her to the top of the leaderboard, sharing honors with Zhang.
“I figured it was Aon Risk Reward (Challenge hole), so I need to step up my game here,” Sagstrom said about eagling No. 12 “I need to get those numbers down. No, I mean, it suits my eye. Like I love a reachable par 5. You kind of have to hit the fairway. Got away with it today being in the first cut. You can kind of go for it from there. I didn't try to go right of the flag, but it ended up right of the flag. I think when you play well and take enough margins on the right side, sometimes you get away with half-bad shots. I'm putting well, so the putter is always good when you're rolling in putts on par-5s.”
Three players round of the top-five including Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda who dominated through the tough conditions to finish in solo-third after a bogey-free second round. Korda was just one of three players to go bogey-free on Friday. China’s Yan Liu sits in solo-fourth following an up and down round that saw six birdies and four bogeys on the card. England’s Mel Reid will get to celebrate her first American Mother’s Day playing at Upper Montclair Country Club ending the day at even par and in solo fifth. Reid is making just her second cut of the LPGA Tour season.
Defending champion Jin Young Ko finished T16, while both Monday Qualifiers and both sponsor invites missed the cut. Laura Wearn missed her first cut on the LPGA Tour this year and Sophia Schubert missed the cut in her second 2024 LPGA Tour start. Invite Bailey Shoemaker finished 4-over and Winner of The JOHN SHIPPEN Cognizant Cup Ashley Shaw finished +22.
)
)
)
)
