Maguire and Mehaffey bow out of US Women’s Open

Irish interest came to an end at the US Women’s Open as Leona Maguire and Olivia Mehaffey missed the cut at Riviera Country Club.

Both players faced mountainous tasks to stick around for the weekend heading into round two but they weren’t able to mount a charge for the cut line with Maguire missing out by five shots on nine-over after a 75 with Mehaffey on plus eleven after a 78.

Eight players are withing one stroke of the lead held by new mother Alison Lee and major champion Ruoning Yin – both are at 4-under 138 – at the midway point of the championship, the most since 1995 at The Broadmoor when 12 players were in that position.

In fact, 16 golfers are within three strokes, including World No. 1 Nelly Korda, and another five, sit at even par, just four back, among them world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul.

Lee, whose son Levi was born 13 months ago and is playing this week on the USGA’s deferred maternity leave exemption, followed up an opening-round 70 with a 3-under 68 on Friday. Yin, the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA winner, posted a second consecutive 69.

But lurking just a shot back are six others, including four with major championships on their résumés. In Gee Chun, who counts the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open as one of those three titles, fired a 68 on Friday, while first-round leader Jennifer Kupcho, the 2022 Chevron Championship titlist, followed her championship-low 66 with a 73. Sei Young Kim, the 2020 KPMG PGA champion, bogeyed her last hole for a 1-over 72, and 2019 AIG Women’s Open winner Hinako Shibuno carded an even-par 71.

Then there’s Korda. After struggling out of the gate with a 2-over 73, the Floridian posted Friday’s lowest round, a 4-under 67, to get within two strokes of the lead. Playing in front of what was the day’s largest gallery, Korda, with three victories already to her name in 2026, including a major (Chevron Championship), put herself in solid position for a weekend run to the title, one she almost claimed a year ago at Erin Hills when she shared second with Rio Takeda, two strokes back of Maja Stark.

Lauren Coughlin (68), Sora Kamiya (68) and Casandra Alexander (70) also sit at 2-under 140.

The cut came at 4-over 145, with 63 professionals and five amateurs earning weekend tee times.

Lee, however, could be one of the more poignant stories in recent championship history. She has a chance to join Susie Maxwell Berning (1972-73) and Juli Inkster (1999, 2002) as the only moms to hoist the Harton S. Semple Trophy. She and boyfriend Trey Kidd brought son, Levi, into the world last April 25, which prevented her from playing a year ago at Erin Hills.

Add to the fact that she grew up in Valencia, about 45 minutes north of Riviera, and was an All-American and ANNIKA Award winner at nearby UCLA just adds to the narrative. She’s been competing at USGA championships since she was in middle school. At 14, she made the cut in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open at Saucon Valley Country Club, reached the finals of the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Lake Merced Golf Club, in Daly City, Calif., in her sixth and final appearance, and was a semifinalist a year later in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at the Country Club of Charleston, losing to eventual winner Emma Talley. The following year, she was on the victorious USA Curtis Cup Team with Talley and fellow Bruin Erynne Lee (now Woo).

But as a professional, she has yet to win on the LPGA Tour. To do it in front of friends and family in her backyard would be remarkable for the 31-year-old. Her lone blemish on Friday was a bogey-5 at the ninth as she birdied Nos. 1, 7, 8 and 12, the latter having ranked as the second toughest in Round 2.

“For me, I would say it’s so exciting,” said Lee, one of 17 players in the field this week with ties to Southern California. “I would say my first couple years on Tour, probably a lot of pressure. I mean, my rookie year was 2015. Now just to be able to play in front of friends and family is just really special.

“I got a little bit of a taste at JM Eagle [in April at nearby El Caballero C.C.], which was nice. It’s nice to have fans out there, have friendly faces out there that you can see. I think it took over 5½ hours today, so even in between shots just seeing a friendly face in the crowd just kind of calms me a little bit. Maybe chitchat here and there when I’m waiting to hit my approach [shots]. It’s just nice to have that support.”

Speaking of support, Korda had plenty the first two days, and she’ll likely draw bigger crowds on the weekend. While she has played well at other majors, the U.S. Women’s Open has been a different story. The three-time major winner made a 10 two years ago on her third hole of the first round at Lancaster (Pa.) C.C. and missed the cut. A year ago, Stark edged her by two.

Korda made five birdies against one bogey (No. 12) on Friday, a far cry from Thursday when she had shoe issues five holes into the round.

“It’s always so much fun to play in front of a great crowd,” said Korda, who totaled just 25 putts in Round 2 and led the field in overall strokes gained (7.09). “Obviously just noticing how much our crowds have changed over the past couple years. It’s a great improvement. Definitely puts a smile on my face. I think we all just want to play really well for them too.”