LPGA Volunteers of America Classic: Yealimi Yealimi Noh leads, Charley Hull fades

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Noh, ranked 61st in the world, claimed two top-10 finishes last year to help earn her LPGA Tour card

American rookie Yealimi Noh shot a five-under-par 66 to take a share of the lead after Friday's second round of the Volunteers of America Championship.

Noh, 19, recovered from a first-round 72 to move alongside fellow American Jessica Korda and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist at the halfway stage.

England's Charley Hull, 24, had been the overnight leader but fell back after a three-over-par 74 on Friday.

The event is the final tune-up before next week's US Women's Open in Houston.

Noh, who won the 2018 US Girls' Junior title, sank four birdies in a row around the turn to help her card the lowest round of the tournament so far.

"I feel really good about how I'm hitting it," Noh said. "Just hit a lot of greens today and made a couple of up-and-downs."

Five-time LPGA Tour winner Korda, 27, shot a second straight two-under 69, while 33-year-old Nordqvist bogeyed the last to miss out on a chance of the outright lead.