South Korea's Ko seizes share of LPGA Queen City lead

South Korean Ko Jin-young has a share of the 36-hole lead in the LPGA Queen City Championship in Ohio (Dylan Buell)

(Dylan Buell/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)

Former world number one Ko Jin-young channeled her younger, fearless self to fire a four-under-par 66 on Friday and seize a share of the halfway lead in the LPGA Queen City Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ko, who counts two major titles among her 15 LPGA wins, conjured four birdies without a bogey to build a seven-under-par total of 133 at Maketewah Country Club.

She was tied with American Amanda Doherty, who capped her four-under round with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-three 18th.

Rising English star Lottie Woad fired seven birdies in an impressive six-under 64 for sole possession of third place on six-under 134, with New Zealand star Lydia Ko was alone in fourth after a 67 for five-under 135.

World number one Nelly Korda and second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul headlined a group on four-under.

South Korea's Ko, who has spent a record total of 163 weeks atop the rankings but is now ranked 51st, is in search of her first LPGA win since 2023.

She said the key to her round was "just trying to not be afraid to make bogey.

"I just want to be brave," she said, recalling that when she first arrived on the LPGA tour in 2018 "I wasn't scared before I hit the shot. But getting older, (I'm) like a little more afraid and think too much about it."

Ko, who got married two months ago, said her husband asked her last week why she seemed so nervous before her shots. She said it was something that had crept into her game without her realizing it.

"I think I was scared to play because I want to be better and better," she said. "I would say I'm a perfection person. That's why I don't want to make mistakes on the course.

"But after I heard that, (I realized) I'm a human, so I can make mistakes on the course."

bb/rcw