By: Max Bechtoldt
Two rounds are in the books at the CPKC Women’s Open, and it would be pretty difficult to come up with a better possible leaderboard.
Lauren Coughlin is setting the pace at -6 looking for her first career victory. While she doesn’t yet have a win on tour, she has been terrific this season with four top-10 finishes including two in majors.
Behind Coughlin, one stroke back, are Haeran Ryu and Hannah Green. Green, the No. 6 player in the world, is looking for her third win of the season. She and Nelly Korda currently are the only two players with multiple 2024 victories. Ryu has been fantastic in 2024 as well. The 2023 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year is quietly No. 4 in the CME Standings with seven top-10 finishes.
A trio of major champions are sitting three back in a tie for fourth, led by the No. 2 player in the world, Lilia Vu. Despite nagging injury issues in her back, Vu has jumped back into top form this season with a win at the Meijer LPGA Classic and a runner-up finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA. Lydia Ko is also at -3, still looking for the win that would stamp her place in the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. Jennifer Kupcho rounds out the trio, seeking her first win since the breakout 2022 season where she won three times.
Even back at -2 the leaderboard gets even more stacked, including Ally Ewing, who has been fantastic as of late. Also there is Rose Zhang, set to make her Olympic debut soon and two-time major champion Ariya Jutanugarn, looking for a nice comeback victory.
The storylines are plentiful, and you can watch it play out in primetime this weekend on Golf Channel and Peacock.
