Haeran Ryu unveiled dazzling talents on Friday as she fired a sizzling 5-under 67 to lead the way at the Black Desert Championship. Her excellent performance carried her to a score of 14-under 130 for all four rounds combined. This powerful performance leaves her with a two-shot cushion as she enters the weekend. Ryu’s excellent play has created some separation from the field, as only a handful of players have been able to stay with her.
Ryu’s game, to this point, has been nothing short of perfect. She has missed just two fairways and three greens during the first 36 holes of the tournament. Her round included a chip-in birdie and an eagle, both of which were instrumental in building and maintaining her lead. On the par-5 ninth hole, Ryu ripped a hybrid shot that rolled to 5 feet. This really set her up perfectly to attempt the eagle.
Somi Lee, along with Gray, has been one of the most consistent performers this week, wrapping up her round with a final score of 66 – bogey-free. Lee is two shots back of Ryu and was solo second at 12-under 132. Unbelievably he’s made his way through 26 holes without a bogey. Her steady play has her comfortably in striking distance of the lead.
Andrea Lee and defending champion Kristen Gillman are six shots back, both at 8-under 136. Esther Henseleit made a solid showing with a round of 68, placing her just behind Lee and Ryu at 11-under 133. Soo Bin Joo was impressive, her -6 round leaving her a shot behind Henseleit.
Hinako Shibuno provided a strong start with a round of 65. That impressive performance landed her in the middle of a huge pack, only five shots back of Ryu. Both Ariya Jutanugarn and Wei-Ling Hsu stood out in that regard, each closing with a par score of 70 to sit at 10-under 134.
Looking back on her performance, Ryu discussed how different her rounds were in the morning compared to the afternoon.
“Yesterday I played in the morning, so was a little bit cold and my drive distance a little bit less than today. So today I play in the afternoon, I got a little more shorter club for the second shot.” – Haeran Ryu
As the tournament continues into the weekend, all eyes will be on Ryu as she tries to hold on to her lead. With other strong competitors such as the likes of Lee and Shibuno hot on her heels, the final rounds are sure to be intensely exciting.
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