SYLVANIA, Ohio – Even a wardrobe malfunction couldn't hold back Chella Choi.
The South Korean split a side seam on her pink shorts but still shot a 4-under-par 67 Friday to take the second-round lead in the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic.
Choi, who will turn 22 on Aug. 25, shrugged off two bogeys to start the back nine, birdieing three holes coming down the stretch for a one-shot lead over Inbee Park, Mika Miyazato and Hee Kyung Seo.
About the only thing that didn't go Choi's way was when she jammed her divot-repair tool into her right front pocket at the ninth green, tearing a hole in the fabric. She was fortunate that she had decided to go with leggings on a cool morning.
Choi, without a win in her four years on the LPGA Tour, started with a 66 and was at 9-under 133 at rainy Highland Meadows Golf Club.
She's clearly trying to not get ahead of herself.
"I have two more days," she said. "I don't care about the other players. I'll just try to keep my score low."
The leaderboard retained its international flair, but it's clear that – like the LPGA Tour itself in recent years – the South Koreans are taking over. They held five of the top eight spots at the tournament's midpoint.
Park, winner of the most recent tour event, the Evian Masters in France, matched the day's low round, climbing 29 spots on the leaderboard with a 6-under 65.
U.S. Women's Amateur in Cleveland – Lydia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn set up a semifinal showdown with quarterfinal victories at The Country Club.
Jutanugarn, a 16-year-old from Thailand, beat UCLA's Erynne Lee of Silverdale, Wash., 5 and 4. The 15-year-old Ko, a South Korean-born New Zealander who tops the world amateur rankings, beat South Africa's Paula Reto 3 and 1.
Canada's Nicole Zhang will face Jaye Marie Green of Boca Raton, Fla., in the other semifinal. Zhang, a Notre Dame player, beat Australia's Su-Hyun Oh 2 and 1, and Green topped Mexico's Marijosse Navarro, also 2 and 1.
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