Ko and Doherty Lead Queen City, Korda Three Back

In Cincinnati, Jin Young Ko and Amanda Doherty share the second-round lead at the Kroger Queen City Championship, each posting 4-under 66 on Friday at Maketewah Country Club. They sit at 7-under 133, three strokes ahead of world number one Nelly Korda, who is pursuing a third consecutive LPGA Tour victory.

Ko, a former world number one from South Korea, carded a bogey-free round in the morning session. The 30-year-old, who has 15 LPGA wins including two major championships in 2019, reflected on her current mindset. She said that getting older has made her more prone to overthinking and that she is trying to recapture the bravery she played with from 2018 to 2021, focusing on having fun.

Doherty, a 28-year-old former Florida State player still seeking her first tour win, matched Ko’s score in the afternoon. Her round featured five birdies and one bogey, closing with a birdie on the par-3 18th. Doherty is currently competing to improve her tour status to guarantee entry into more events. She expressed excitement simply to be playing this week following a recent reshuffle of the tour’s priority list.

Nelly Korda remains firmly in contention after a 2-under 67 that included two late...