Miyu Yamashita Claims Two-Shot Lead at Aramco Korea Championship Midway Mark

The 2026 Aramco Korea Championship has reached its halfway stage with Japan's Miyu Yamashita sitting comfortably at the top of the leaderboard on nine-under-par. The major champion backed up her opening round of 67 with a stellar bogey-free 68 on the second day at New Korea Country Club in Seoul, South Korea. Yamashita capitalised on the course conditions by rolling in birdies on her second, sixth, 16th, and 17th holes to establish a two-shot advantage at the 36-hole mark. Speaking after her round, the tournament leader highlighted the quality of her tee shots and approach play, while expressing her appreciation for the large galleries and local Korean food.

Chasing the leader in a share of second place are Sweden's Louise Rydqvist and Korea's Sung Hyun Park, both sitting on seven-under-par. Rydqvist, a Ladies European Tour rookie, fired a bogey-free round of 67 to climb the leaderboard, featuring five birdies from the sixth hole onward. Meanwhile, local favourite Sung Hyun Park navigated a more turbulent round that included an early double bogey on the third hole, followed by resilient back-to-back birdies and a crucial eagle putt from off the green on the 17th hole.

A five-way tie for fourth place includes Germany's Alexandra Försterling, Canada's Anna Huang and Chinese Taipei's Yani Tseng. Försterling carded her second consecutive round of 69, while Huang surged up the leaderboard with a bogey-free 67. A further six players share ninth position one stroke behind them, including two-time defending champion Hyo Joo Kim, Wales' Lydia Hall, Ecuador's Daniela Darquea, Czechia's Patricie Mackova, Hong Kong's Ginnie Ding, and Australia's Sarah Kemp.

The tournament features a competitive 108-player field competing for a total prize purse of two million USD. Following the conclusion of Friday's play, the tournament cut fell at plus one, allowing 66 players to advance to the weekend rounds at New Korea Country Club.