Highlights of the second round

On October 11, Beijing time, the 2024 Buick LPGA Championship entered the second round, and 81 outstanding players continued to compete at Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club. Grand Slam champion Sei Young Kim made consecutive birdies in the last two holes, and continued to lead with a total score of -12, and also broke the 36-hole record of the Buick LPGA Championship. Japanese player Mao Saigo and Chinese-American player Lucy Li tied for second place with -11. Korean player Minjee Lee was in fourth place with -10, Korean-American player Yealimi Noh was in fifth place with -9, and Chinese players Yealimi Noh and other 9 players handed in -8 after two rounds, tied for sixth place. 

After breaking the single-round record of the tournament with a 62-stroke first round, Sei Young Kim started off this morning with a good score of -10, but his performance in the first 16 holes was a bit quiet, and he only caught the only birdie on the 5th hole, and his total score came to -11. On the 16th hole, Lucy Li swallowed the only bogey of the day, and after falling, she was overtaken by the hot Lucy Li. Fortunately, Sei Young Kim caught birdies in the last two holes, and after Lucy Li fell on the last hole, he regained the lead with a total score of -12. "Today is very different from yesterday. My putting performance was struggling, but fortunately I caught birdies in the last two holes. I am still very satisfied with the way I ended." Sei Young Kim said, "I haven't thought about the strategy for the next game yet. Now I need to go back to the hotel to review and relax, and think about how to play better than today." 

Lucy Li, a Chinese-American player, was in third place with a score of -7 in the first round. She had a bogey right after she started, but fortunately she quickly made a birdie on the 5th hole to even the loss. In the back nine, Lucy Li's hand gradually became hot. After making her sixth birdie on the 17th hole, her total score reached -12, and she rushed to the lead when Sei Young Kim dropped a shot. Unfortunately, Lucy Li had a three-putt on the green of the last hole, and after a bogey, she finished the 36-hole game with a total score of -11, tied for second place. "I started slowly today. Although I hit the ball well, my putt was a little off." Lucy Li said, "I am very happy to have made a difficult long putt to make a birdie on the 10th hole. In the back nine holes, I not only kept hitting the ball well, but also made many wonderful birdies. Although the three-putt on the 18th hole was a bit regrettable, it was a great day overall." 

Japanese player Mao Saigo was the best player in the second round, making 8 birdies and only 1 bogey, especially the 38-foot long putt on the last hole to make a birdie, which was impressive. After 36 holes, Mao Saigo tied for second place with a single round score of -7 and a total score of -11. Mao Saigo is a six-time champion of the Women's Japan Tour. This year is her rookie year in the LPGA Tour and she currently ranks first in the annual rookie list. "Coming to China to compete feels very different from playing in the United States, but there are many similarities with playing on the Japan Tour. The greens at Qizhong Garden are relatively soft, and I can give full play to the advantages of my irons. In the past two days, my iron shots have created many birdie opportunities for me, and I am very satisfied with this." Mao Saigo said. 

As for Chinese players, Yealimi Noh caught 7 birdies and only swallowed 1 bogey, and scored 66 strokes in a single round. At the same time, this is also the lowest score Yealimi Noh has ever scored in a single round since participating in the three Buick LPGA Championships. After 36 holes, Yin Ruoning and Yuwa rushed to the sixth place with a total score of -8, leading the Chinese team. "You don't need to hit a big right hook at the Qizhong Garden Golf Course, so I communicated with the coach remotely at the driving range today and adjusted the No. 1 wood tee shot, which is one of the key factors for playing well in the second round." Yealimi Noh concluded after the game. Talking about the changes in his performance in the first two rounds, Yealimi Noh said: "Golf is actually like this. You may have a good tee shot today, but not tomorrow. How to finish four rounds with a stable performance is something I still need to learn. Today is the first time I have scored such a low score in the Buick LPGA Championship. I have learned a lot myself. I hope to bring the experience I gained today to the next two days." 

The second round of the game was not only exciting, but also full of surprises. Auston Kim, an American player, used a 9-iron to hit the first hole-in-one of this tournament with a 9-iron on the second hole, which was also the eighth hole-in-one of the Buick LPGA Championship. "Today, I was 148 yards from the pin, and my expected shot was 140 yards. This shot was very straight. I saw the ball bounce on the green, but I didn't see it go in. The caddy was really surprised when he saw it go in with the rangefinder." Auston Kim said. Five of the eight hole-in-ones in the Buick LPGA Championship occurred on the second hole, but Auston Kim's good luck did not help her drive away the Buick Century. The hole-in-one grand prize of this tournament was set on the 16th hole.

Player Introduction

Sei Young Kim

Sei Young Kim, 31 years old, is a Korean professional golfer known for her outstanding skills and competitive achievements. Kim Sei Young is praised for her stability on the field and outstanding performance at critical moments. Her achievements have not only won her personal honors, but also won respect for Korean golf on the international stage. Sei Young Kim quickly emerged after joining the LPGA Tour in 2015. She won in her second game on the tour, which laid a solid foundation for her career in the LPGA. In her rookie season in 2015, Sei Young Kim won three LPGA Tour championships and won the LPGA Tour Best Rookie Award that year. This achievement marked her true rise as a professional golfer. In the 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic, Sei Young Kim set the LPGA 72-hole scoring record with a score of 31 under par and a total score of 257. This record shows her scoring ability and competitive state. In 2020, Sei Young Kim won her first major championship at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, marking a major milestone in her career. In the same year, she also won the title of LPGA Tour Player of the Year. Although she has not won a tournament before 2024, her performance in the Buick LPGA Shanghai tournament showed her continued competitiveness, leading with a two-round total score of 12-under 132, seeking her first 2024 victory. Her total career prize money has now exceeded $13.5 million, including $802,500 in official prize money in 2024.

Mao Saigo

Mao Saigo is a Japanese professional golfer who was born in 2001 and is 23 years old this year. Her career began with an early love for golf, and she started playing golf at the age of 5. As a teenager, she won the championship at the "Japan Women's Amateur Championship" in 2019, which can be said to be an important milestone in her golf career. Mao Saigo passed the professional test in 2019 and joined the Japan Tour in 2020. In her rookie season, she had 7 runner-up finishes, showing her strong competitiveness. In 2021, she took the first-round lead at the Daikin Phalaenopsis Women's Open and finished runner-up several times that season. 2022 was a breakthrough year for Mao Saigo's career, as she won her first victory on the LPGA Tour and won multiple titles during the season, including victories at the 35th Daikin Phalaenopsis Women's Open, the AXA Women's Open, and the Yamaha Katsuragi Women's Open. Her success continued that season, winning the Bridgestone Women's Open, her fifth title of the season, which moved her up to 18th in the world rankings. In 2024, Mao Saigo continued to perform strongly on the LPGA Tour. She tied for second place in the first round of the 2024 Mizuho Bank Open and finished second at 11 under at the Canadian Women's Open. In addition, she performed well at the 2024 Buick LPGA Championship, finishing tied for second place with Li Yi. Mao Saigo has become a star player in the women's golf world with her outstanding performance and continuous competitiveness. Her career is still developing, and there will undoubtedly be more achievements waiting for her in the future.

Lucy Li

Lucy Li is a Chinese-American female golfer. She was born in 2002 and is 22 years old this year. Her career started quite early. In 2014, Lucy Li, who was only 11 years old at the time, participated in the US Women's Open and set a record for the Grand Slam event, becoming the youngest player to enter the main competition through the qualifying round. This achievement not only attracted widespread attention in the golf world, but also laid the foundation for her future career. During her career, Lucy Li represented the US Junior Ryder Cup on October 1, 2016. At the Junior Ryder Cup, the US Junior Team defeated the European team and achieved five consecutive championships. On November 25, 2017, Lucy Li won the women's championship in the Rolex Junior Golf Championship Lawrence. In 2019, Lucy Li made the decision to turn professional, which was an important turning point in her career. Despite turning professional, she did not give up her education, but continued her university studies through online classes. On June 13, 2022, Lucy Li won the 2022 Carolina Golf Classic with a score of 265, 19 strokes under par, achieving her first professional victory, which was an important victory for her on the Epson Tour. On July 11 of the same year, Lucy Li won the Twin Bridges Championship again, and her world ranking rose by 22 places to 184th. It can be said that these victories significantly improved her world ranking and further consolidated her position in professional golf. In 2022, Lucy Li performed well in the Epson Tour, eventually ranking third on the season-end prize list, and obtained membership in the LPGA Tour, which provided her with the opportunity to compete in higher-level tours. It can be said that from the carefree early years to the serious competition of professional golf, Lucy Li has also experienced important growth and transformation psychologically. She learned to be patient and focused in professional golf, which is crucial to her long-term development.

Minjee Lee

Minjee Lee is an Australian professional golfer who was born on May 27, 1996 and is 28 years old this year. She turned professional in 2014 and joined the LPGA Tour for the first time in 2015. Minjee Lee's career started quite early. She became the youngest champion of the Western Australian Amateur Open at the age of 13. During her amateur period, she won the 2012 U.S. Women's Junior Championship and won the 2013 and 2014 Australian Women's Amateur Championships consecutively. In 2014, she was also the world's number one female amateur golfer before turning professional. She won the Evian Championship and the U.S. Women's Open in 2021 and 2022 respectively, both of which are Grand Slam events and a major turning point in Minjee Lee's career. In addition, she also participated in the Olympics in 2016 and 2020, and won a good seventh place at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Minjee Lee also represented Australia in the International Crown Tournament and will participate again in 2023. As of 2024, Minjee Lee has won 10 LPGA Tour events in her career and has earned $14.6 million in official career earnings.

End

As the competition progresses, we have reason to believe that the 2024 Buick LPGA Championship will bring us more unforgettable golf moments. The players' superb skills, tenacious fighting spirit, and desire for victory will be perfectly displayed on this green field. Let us look forward to the next game to bring a more exciting golf feast.