Choi Hye-jin shares lead for second straight day at The Annika

Choi Hye-jin held a share of the lead for the second consecutive day at the LPGA Tour's The Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.

Choi carded a 3-under-par 67 on Saturday (Korean Standard Time) at Pelican Golf Club (par 70) in Belleair, Florida, with one eagle and four birdies against three bogeys. At 12-under 128 through two rounds, she sits in a three-way tie for first with Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Lindy Duncan of the United States. She leads Japan's Saigo Mao and Kato Minami, tied for fourth, by two strokes.

Choi had vaulted into a share of the lead on Friday with a bogey-free, nine-birdie round, and she fought back from an early wobble Saturday to hold her position. Starting on the 10th hole, she made back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 before picking up her first birdie at the par-3 12th, then dropped another shot at the par-5 14th.

She steadied herself with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6, then holed a 4.5-meter eagle putt in two at the par-5 7th to join the top of the leaderboard. "I think the biggest difference was the wind," Choi said after the round. "Everything else was similar — only the wind was different. So the front nine was a bit tough because of the wind, but after that it was fine."

Choi joined the LPGA Tour in 2022 and has yet to win, though she has accumulated nine runner-up finishes in her career. Golfweek cited Elias Sports Bureau statistics last month reporting that Choi's nine runner-up finishes without a win since 1981 is the most on tour in that span. Canada's Lorie Kane also recorded nine runner-up finishes before claiming her first win at the 2000 Michelob Classic.

Choi has remained in contention in recent weeks. She finished solo second at the Buick LPGA Shanghai and tied for second at the BMW Ladies Championship last month. Adding a runner-up alongside Kim Hyo-joo at the Dow Championship earlier this year brings her season total to three runner-up finishes. The Associated Press reported that Choi said she would draw on her recent experience playing in the final group as she focuses on her own game over the final two rounds.

Ciganda fired a 7-under 63, fueled by four consecutive birdies on her final four holes. Duncan, who made a hole-in-one on Friday, shot a 4-under 66 to join the tie for the lead. The two players moved up eight and two spots, respectively, from their Friday positions.

Yun I-na posted a 3-under 67 — five birdies, two bogeys — to reach 9-under 131 and share sixth place with Gaby Lopez of Mexico and others. Three strokes off the lead, she remains within striking distance heading into the weekend rounds.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States, returning to competition after a two-month absence, managed just one birdie to finish at 8-under 132, tied for ninth.