Three-time major champion Minjee Lee moved quickly up the leaderboard during the second round of the HSBC Women’s World Championship.
Lee’s first round of the LPGA Tour season was an even par 72 that included three bogeys and three birdies. She hit only seven fairways and had 32 putts, a pretty rough number considering her excellent form with the flatstick in 2025.
It was a completely different story for Lee though Friday, as she a -8 64 to get within one stroke of leader Auston Kim, who shot -3 in her second round to get to -9 for the tournament.
Lee wasted no time with an eagle on the par 4 second hole, and followed that up with three additional birdies on the front. She was in just as solid of form on the back nine, making three birdies including on two of the final three holes.
Putting was better, a beneficiary of better positioning as she hit nine fairways. Lee had just 25 putts for the round. She also hit one more green than on Thursday, bringing her total to 29/36 for the week.
Lee wasn’t the only multiple-time major champion to have a strong second day, as Ariya Jutanugarn also got to -8 for the tournament thanks to a -5 67. Lee and Jutanugarn share the second place with three-time LPGA Tour winner Haeran Ryu.
If the young, incredibly talented Kim is to win her first-career LPGA Tour event, she will have to earn it against some of the best in the world.
