US Women's Open Golf 2016: Friday Leaderboard Scores and LPGA Highlights

The U.S. Women's Open at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California, resumed Friday as some of the world's top players jockeyed for position atop the leaderboard. After two rounds, Sung Hyun Park owns the lead after shooting a six-under 66 to bring her overall score to eight under par.

Here's the top of the leaderboard with 36 holes in the books, while the complete standings are available at the LPGA's official website: 

Place	Golfer	Score
1	Sung Hyun Park	-8
T2	Amy Yang	-6
T2	Mirim Lee	-6
T4	Lydia Ko	-5
T4	Haru Nomura	-5
T6	Danielle Kang	-4
T6	Jessica Korda	-4
T6	Eun-Hee Ji	-4
T6	Kelly Tan	-4

The story of the day was Park, who throttled her way into first place behind a nearly blemish-free round. 

While her round, which consisted of seven birdies and a single bogey, would have been impressive in a vacuum, the fact that she posted those numbers in her first Women's U.S. Open made the outing even more eye-opening.

The USGA relayed a complete highlight reel of Park's stellar second round: 

"I didn't even think about winning because this is the first time for me," Park said through an interpreter, per the Associated Press' Josh Dubow (via ABC News). "I would like more experience with the USGA, LPGA. But I'm trying to enjoy this tournament. That's why I am just more comfortable, don't even think about the winning. I just enjoy the play."

Mirim Lee, who owned an outright lead following Round 1, encountered a backslide to the tune of a two-over 74. Her second round was 10 shots worse than the 64 she posted Thursday. 

The day's other notable mover was world No. 1 Lydia Ko, who fired a six-under 66 a day after shooting a one-over 73. Ko now sits at five under for the tournament and is just three shots off the pace. 

Ko—whose best finish in a Women's U.S. Open is 12th—was dialed in all day long, and her efficiency on the greens was markedly improved from Thursday.

She putted 30 times in Round 1, compared to just 25 times in Round 2. Furthermore, Ko hit 13 greens in regulation—two more than she hit Thursday—and finished with seven birdies, including this beauty on No. 18, as the USGA documented on Twitter:

"My birdie on No. 3 kind of turned the round around, and making the string of birdies definitely helped," Ko said, per Dubow (via ABC News). "Just to know that this is the first time I was under par for the tournament kind of put myself in a positive position. I just tried to enjoy it out there."

Amy Yang, who finished second at last year's U.S. Women's Open, made a slight move up the leaderboard with a round of 71. And while it wasn't as impressive as her opening-round 67, she flaunted some fabulous form when she ripped off three straight birdies on hole Nos. 1 through 3 to briefly grab a share of the lead, as the USGA showed:

However, Yang's round was bookended by some inconsistent play.

On a day when she hit just seven of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens in regulation, Yang squandered her ability to enter moving day with momentum as she carded four bogeys, including two to close out the front nine on Nos. 7 and 9.

Given how little separation there is among the players atop the leaderboard, Saturday should set up a thrilling finish to the major championship Sunday.

And with Ko looking to make amends on one of the game's biggest stages after falling to Brooke Henderson in a playoff at the Women's PGA Championship in June, don't be surprised if her surge continues as the weekend action revs up. 

Stats courtesy of LPGA.com.