Gaby Lopez battled through an uneven second round at Mayakoba, shooting 71 to stay within reach of Nelly Korda and Brianna Do.
Gaby Lopez is still in the hunt at the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba, even if Friday felt more like survival than a charge.
Playing in front of a loud home crowd at El Camaleon Golf Course, the Mexican star shot a 1-under 71 in the second round to reach 5-under 139 through 36 holes.
That left Lopez tied for fifth in the morning wave, four shots behind Nelly Korda and Brianna Do, who shared the lead at 9-under 135.
Lopez, a three-time LPGA Tour winner, didn’t have her cleanest day off the tee. Still, she managed four birdies against three bogeys and kept herself close enough to make the weekend interesting.
Her round opened with patience. Lopez birdied the par-5 fifth and made the turn at 5 under for the tournament. The back nine tested her quickly, especially after bogeys at Nos. 12 and 16 threatened to knock her down the leaderboard.
But Lopez answered when she needed it most.
A birdie at the par-5 13th helped steady the round, and another birdie at the par-5 18th gave her a much-needed closing boost. Earlier, a clutch par save from trouble at No. 8 also helped prevent the day from getting away.
Lopez said afterward she wasn’t as sharp with her driver but liked the way her iron game held up.
She also pointed to patience and smart course management as the biggest keys at El Camaleon, where missing fairways can quickly lead to trouble.
Her recent form suggests she’s capable of making a weekend run. Lopez finished T5 at the Fortinet Founders Cup in March, added a T12 at The Chevron Championship and has made every cut this season.
Now she’ll need a Saturday push to chase down Korda, Do and a crowded LPGA leaderboard.
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