South Korean Mi Hyang Lee holds a one-shot lead at 11 under par heading into the weekend at the Blue Bay LPGA in China. The veteran golfer posted a bogey-free 66 in windy conditions on Friday despite a lingering shoulder injury. Yu Liu of China trails closely at 10 under, while a field heavy with rookies adds unpredictability to the tournament.
The Blue Bay LPGA, held at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on Hainan Island, China, featured strong performances after two rounds on March 6, 2026. Mi Hyang Lee, a 32-year-old South Korean who joined the LPGA in 2012, leads at 11 under par with rounds of 67 and 66. This marks her best scores in seven appearances at the event. Lee, seeking her first win since the 2017 Women’s Scottish Open, navigated breezy conditions effectively. "Wind is blowing more than I expected this morning, but still better than yesterday afternoon," she said. "Pretty similar the direction as well, so it wasn’t that hard to play for me I think."
Lee is managing a right shoulder injury that is not yet fully healed. "I had a right shoulder injury and still not 100 percent yet," she noted. "This is really great playing what I expected so I'm really thankful. My shoulder is getting better and better."
Yu Liu, aiming to become the second Chinese winner of the tournament since its 2014 inception, sits one shot back at 10 under after a 66 featuring eight birdies and two bogeys. "I wouldn’t say it’s a flawless round, especially out here. It’s inevitable to make mistakes," Liu said. "I’m very happy about the score that I turned in and also the way that I handled myself out there."
Auston Kim of the United States is third at 9 under following a 68, which included an eagle on the par-5 eighth. A Lim Kim of South Korea, Ayaka Furue of Japan, and Weiwei Zhang of China are tied for fourth at 7 under.
The tournament includes 22 of the LPGA's 28 rookies, making the field competitive. China's Ruoning Yin, tied for 11th at 5 under, recorded a hole-in-one on the par-3 seventh hole during the second round. Muni He, one of 31 Chinese players in the event, is tied for 14th at 4 under.
The cut fell at 4 over, with 75 players advancing, including amateur Yujie Liu of China. Notable misses include Parajee Anannarukarn at 5 over and Moriya Jutanugarn at 16 over.
Lee remains cautious about the rookies' potential. "All the rookies and all the players, they have a chance to win this tournament of course," she said. "I think everyone can win this tournament."
