Hyo Joo Kim holds on to lead heading into the weekend

Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America R2

Hyo Joo Kim held on to the lead at the Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America after carding a 68 to reach 10-under, extending her first-round lead into the second day for the first time since 2016.

“You can get a lot of bogeys here because the course is tough,” said the Korean player. “My putting stroke wasn’t bad yesterday and today so I think I got a lot of good saves. I hope to limit as many mistakes as possible in the remaining rounds as well.”

Rookie Sofia Garcia from Paraguay also closed with a 68, making only her fourth cut this season and posting back-to-back rounds in the 60s. She chipped in twice during her second round to put herself in position to chase Kim and has made only one bogey in two rounds, the least in the field.

“The golf course for sure is a challenging one, and strategic,” she said. “The weather was nice both days. More than having an advantage of knowing the golf course it’s just being mentally prepared to be patient. I think sometimes we get a bit worked out and knowing how the golf course and working with my caddie in the sense of, okay, we have a plan and we’re going to stick to it, that kind of helps; being familiar and being consistent with what we want to do.

American Lexi Thompson (65) and France’s Celine Boutier (67) are tied in third place at 6-under.

Ireland’s Leona Maguire (67) almost doubled her birdie count round to round, carding five including four on her back nine to move into a share of fifth place at 5-under alongside Puerto Rico’s Maria Torres (68), American Marina Alex (70) and Spain’s Azahara Munoz (71).

Pos.PlayerTo ParR1R2Total
1Hyo Joo Kim-106468132
2Sofia Garcia-86668134
T3Lexi Thompson-67165136
T3Celine Boutier-66967136
T5Leona Maguire-57067137
T5Maria Torres-56968137
T5Marina Alex-56770137
T5Azahara Munoz-56671137
T9Yuna Nishimura-46969138
T9Sarah Kemp-46771138
T9Yu-Sang Hou-46672138
T12A Lim Kim-37267139
T12Atthaya Thitikul-37069139
T12Nicole Broch Estrup-36970139
T15Gerina Mendoza-27367140
T15Cydney Clanton-27268140
T15Hyo Joon Jang-27268140
T15Frida Kinhult-27169140
T15Xiaowen Yin-27169140
T15Aline Krauter-27169140
T15Sarah Schmelzel-27070140
T15Bianca Pagdanganan-27070140
T15Mariajo Uribe-26971140
T15Jennifer Chang-26971140
T15Chanettee Wannasaen-26971140
T15Weiwei Zhang-26971140
T27Pavarisa Yoktuan-17368141
T27Annie Park-17368141
T27So Yeon Ryu-17269141
T27Charley Hull-17269141
T27Polly Mack-17170141
T27Ally Ewing-17170141
T27Sarah Jane Smith-17170141
T27Cheyenne Knight-17071141
T27Emily Kristine Pedersen-17071141
T27Amelia Lewis-17071141
T27Louise Ridderstrom-16972141
T27Lindsey Weaver-Wright-16873141
T27Jenny Shin-16873141
T40Katherine MuziPar7369142
T40Su OhPar7369142
T40Wei-Ling HsuPar7270142
T40Dottie ArdinaPar7270142
T40Gemma DryburghPar7171142
T40Lauren StephensonPar7171142
T40Wichanee MeechaiPar7171142
T40Maddie SzerykPar7171142
T40Hannah GreenPar6973142
T40Pornanong PhatlumPar6973142
T50Min Lee+17667143
T50Lucy Li+17568143
T50Albane Valenzuela+17469143
T50Eun-Hee Ji+17370143
T50Ilhee Lee+17271143
T50Jaravee Boonchant+17271143
T50Maria Fassi+17271143
T50Ruixin Liu+17172143
T50Jeongeun Lee6+17172143
T50Jodi Ewart Shadoff+17172143
T50Yealimi Noh+16974143
T50Minami Katsu+16875143
T62Jing Yan+27470144
T62Luna Sobron Galmes+27371144
T62Brittany Lang+27371144
T62Karis Davidson+27371144
T62Lauren Miller+27272144
T62Paula Creamer+27272144
T62Ana Belac+27272144
T62Kiira Riihijarvi+27272144
T62Jeongeun Lee5+27272144
T62Caroline Inglis+27272144
T62Dewi Weber+27272144
T62Gabriella Then+26975144
Cut
T74Gaby Lopez+37669145
T74In Kyung Kim+37570145
T74Gina Kim+37471145
T74Arpichaya Yubol+37471145
T74Narin An+37372145
T74Lauren Hartlage+37273145
T74Jasmine Suwannapura+37273145
T74Jennifer Song+37273145
T74Paula Reto+37273145
T74Marissa Steen+37273145
T74Dana Fall+37174145
T74Alexa Pano+37174145
T74Brianna Do+37174145
T74Bronte Law+37075145
T88Valery Plata+47670146
T88Manon De Roey+47472146
T88Maelynn Kim (a)+47472146
T88Riley Rennell+47373146
T88Emma Talley+47373146
T88Ines Laklalech+47373146
T88June Song (a)+47274146
T88Brittany Lincicome+47274146
T88Angela Stanford+47274146
T88Kim Kaufman+47175146
T98Ellinor Sudow+57869147
T98Lindy Duncan+57572147
T98Elizabeth Szokol+57473147
T98Mariah Stackhouse+57473147
T98Samantha Wagner+57374147
T98Yan Liu+57374147
T98Mina Harigae+57275147
T105Nanna Koerstz Madsen+67771148
T105Linnea Johansson+67672148
T105Christina Kim+67573148
T105Mel Reid+67573148
T105Stacy Lewis+67474148
T105Kristy McPherson+67375148
T105Hinako Shibuno+67375148
T105Pernilla Lindberg+67375148
T105Dori Carter+67177148
T105Pauline Roussin+66979148
T115Brittany Altomare+77673149
T115Kum-Kang Park+77673149
T115Emilee Hoffman+77574149
T115Sophia Schubert+77475149
T119Natalie Yen (a)+98071151
T119Sydnee Michaels+97873151
T119Ellie Szeryk (a)+97675151
T119Amanda Doherty+97477151
123Celine Herbin+127678154
124Sadena Parks+137679155
125Allison Emrey+147482156
126Soo Bin Joo+157681157
127Jill McGill+167682158
W/DIn Gee Chun74
W/DNatalie Gulbis78
Updated: October 7, 2023
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America 2023
Date: 5th October - 8th October, 2023
Location: Old American Golf Club, The Colony, Texas
Purse: $1,800,000