(Photo credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images)
Los Angeles native Alison Lee is the surprise name atop the leaderboard at the U.S. Women's Open, as the veteran shares first place with China's Ruoning Yin after the second round Friday in Los Angeles.
Lee shot a 3-under-par 68 at Riviera Country Club to move to 4-under 138 at the halfway mark. Yin carded her second straight round of 69, and together, they are one stroke better than six players all tied at 3 under for the championship.
Jennifer Kupcho (73) gave up the lead but remains in contention one back, along with Japan's Hinako Shibuno (71), Mexico's Gaby Lopez (71) and South Koreans In Gee Chun (68), Hyunjo Yoo (71) and Sei Young Kim (72).
World No. 1 Nelly Korda posted the low round of the day, a 4-under 67 that took her from over par on Day 1 of the championship to 2 under par heading into the weekend. She is tied with Lauren Coughlin (68), Japan's Sora Kamiya (68) and South Africa's Casandra Alexander (70).
Lee, 31, has just two top-10 finishes in 44 previous major starts. She missed all five majors in 2025 as she gave birth to her first son. Both of her wins as a pro came outside the United States as part of the Ladies European Tour's Aramco Team Series.
Yet Lee fit right in with the sport's biggest names on Friday after grinding to an even-par round on Thursday. Lee had four birdies and one bogey, and she led the field in strokes gained on approach in the second round.
'I feel like I just did a really good job at grinding these last couple days,' Lee said. 'The front nine (Thursday), I mean, if you told me in the front nine I would be leading going into Saturday I would have thought you were crazy because I just missed a bunch of fairways and I missed a bunch of greens.'
Lee's partner brought their 1-year-old son, Levi, to the course. And she had plenty of ticket requests from loved ones who get to watch her compete in Los Angeles.
'I would say it's so exciting,' Lee said. '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.'
Yin, 23, is aiming for her second major title after she captured the 2023 Women's PGA Championship. She enjoyed a bogey-free round after making three bogeys along with five birdies on Thursday.
'I had a lot of stress today,' Yin said, laughing. 'Yeah, it's U.S. Open, it's meant to be tough. You can't really have a stress-free moment on the course until it's all done. I think the stress and the pressure, it's also a privilege.'
Korda birdied all three par-5 holes at Riviera along with the par-4 seventh and ninth holes, making just one misstep with a bogey on the par-4 12th.
She has been on fire this season. Her three victories include the season's first major, the Chevron Championship.
'I just tried to have a really easygoing attitude today,' Korda said. 'I was definitely going to leave it all out there and grind as much as I could, but I was not going to emphasize on my mistakes too much and just kind of play relaxed golf. That's kind of when I play my best golf.'
Major champions Allisen Corpuz (70), South Korea's Jiyai Shin (72) and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit (72) are tied at 1 under for the week along with Japan's Nasa Hataoka (72). World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand and Canada's Brooke Henderson both shot 69 and are part of a tie at even par.
Notable names below the cut line of 4 over par included New Zealand's Lydia Ko (5 over), Lilia Vu (5 over), Angel Yin (5 over), Jeongeun Lee6 of South Korea (6 over), Leona Maguire of Ireland (9 over) and Jin Young Ko of South Korea (12 over).
Michelle Wie West followed an opening 75 with a 74 on Friday to finish her final U.S. Women's Open at 7 over par. Though she was disappointed to miss the cut by three, the 2014 champion said she 'had a blast' at her first major since retiring from full-time competition three years ago.
'It definitely felt a little scarier coming back, just being gone for so long,' said Wie West, 36. 'You work so hard for just like really one week. It definitely was nerve-racking, but at the same time, it was a lot of fun to come play.
'(Pebble Beach in 2023) just truly felt like the end. This was just a bonus, and a great bonus to be able to play at Riv, be able to play another U.S. Open. It's a great honor.'
--Field Level Media
