Brooke Henderson keeps U.S. Women's Open hopes alive

Brooke Henderson kept her hopes for a second consecutive women's golf major alive Friday after the 18-year-old Canadian just made the cut at the U.S. Women's Open at the CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, Ca.

The Smith Falls, Ont., teenager shot a 1-under 71 on Friday, ending the day 3 over, at making the cut, which was set at 4 over.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., is the top Canadian at 3 under after shooting a 69. Hamilton's Alena Sharp is 2 under with a 72. Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., shot 71 and is 3 over. Victoria's Naomi Ko and Taylor Kim of Surrey, B.C., failed to make the cut for Saturday. Fourth-ranked Lexi Thompson is also 3 over. 

Sung Hyun Park capitalized on the favourable morning scoring conditions, shooting a 6-under 72 Friday to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the U.S. Women's Open at CordeValle.

"I didn't even think about winning because this is the first time for me," Park said through an interpreter. "I would like more experience with the USGA, LPGA. But I'm trying to enjoy this tournament. That's why I am just more comfortable, don't even think about the winning, I just enjoy the play."

Park, a 22-year-old from South Korea, made her LPGA debut last year when she finished second at the KEB-HanaBank Championship in South Korea. She has played three more LPGA tournaments this year, tying for sixth in her first major at the ANA Inspiration in the spring.

Park had four birdies in a six-hole span to move to 9 under before struggling on the final two holes. She hit her second shot into the greenside bunker at the par-4 17th and then missed a short par putt for her only bogey of the round. Park then drove into a hazard on the par-5 18th for a one-shot penalty before saving par with a 15-foot putt.

Ko comeback

Amy Yang shot a 71 to get to 6 under, tied for second with first-round leader Mirim Lee. World No. 1 Lydia Ko bounced back from a 1-over par first round to shoot 66 for a tie for fourth with Haru Nomura.

Lee, who tied a U.S. Open record by shooting 8 under Thursday, birdied three of the final four holes on her front nine in the afternoon to take a one-shot lead over Park.

But things then quickly fell apart. She missed the fairway with her drive on the par-4 10th and her approach shot sailed past the green. Her chip attempt fell short of the green before she three-putted from the fringe for a double bogey.

Lee then drove into the front bunker on the par-3 12th hole before missing an 8-foot putt for par to fall two strokes off the lead.

"I kept trying to hit the fairway and the green, but I couldn't," she said. "So score, it's not bad, but not good, too."

Ko got off to a shaky start with a bogey on the first hole before stringing together four straight birdies starting at No. 3. She added two more birdies before capping her round with the seventh of the day at the par-5 18th.

"My birdie on 3 kind of turned the round around and making the string of birdies definitely helped," she said. "Just to know that this is the first time I was under par for the tournament kind of put myself in a positive position."