Local rookie Malia Nam takes lead at Seri Pak Championship

Field Level Media|published: Sat 23rd March, 24:35 2024

Ruoning Yin, from ShangHai, China, tees off on the first hole Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024 at the LPGA Drive On Championship at the Bradenton Country Club in Bradenton, Florida. credits: Mike Lang / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rookie Malia Nam is halfway to history in the second event of her LPGA career.

The University of Southern California product holds a one-shot lead after the second round of the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., on Friday.

Nam, 24, shot a 2-under-par 69 at Palos Verdes Golf Club, leaving her at 8-under 134. Defending champion Ruoning Yin of China (65 on Friday) and Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom (69) are tied for second at 7 under.

Rose Zhang (68), Alison Lee (70) and Ireland's Leona Maguire (65) share fourth place at 6 under, with Lauren Hartlage (71) and Sweden's Linn Grant (68) another stroke back, tied for seventh. Six players are tied for ninth.

Nam would have held a larger lead except for a double-bogey 6 on the 15th hole. She started her day with a bogey, then made five birdies and eight pars over the next 13 holes. Following the blowup at No. 15, she closed with three more pars.

"It's my second tournament on the LPGA so I'm a little nervous," Nam said. "I think it's good to be nervous though. It means that you care and it means that you're so close to achieving a goal of yours. I try to just embrace that nervousness."

Nam holds a home-course advantage, having played Palos Verdes more than 100 times.

"I've seen every single inch of this golf course, good and bad," she said. "It's funny, because in college I never really played well here. This is actually the first time that I think I shot consecutively under par, so I'm a bit surprised myself."

Yin carded an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. She also had six birdies and back-to-back bogeys in the middle of her round.

"If I make a bogey, I'm OK with it, but I'm not OK with (a) three-putt," Yin said. "I was (angry). I was like, that's the mistake I shouldn't have. (My caddie) keep telling me you got to be patient."

Sagstrom finished the day with four birdies and two bogeys.

"I didn't have the same flow as I did yesterday," Sagstrom said. "I was making a lot birdies yesterday. My putter was still putting well. Nothing was really going in. But I had a few troubles off the tee. Managed to do a few saves on my front nine.

"So overall, I mean, this is golf, you're going to have days where you're going to have to fight a little bit harder. This is one of those days."

—Field Level Media