After 18 holes of play, the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa looked like it had the making for a close battle between rookies and veterans all trying to make history in their own way. Now, after 36 holes, the tournament has shifted to what looks like a one-woman show.
Juliana Hung already tied the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa's 18-hole record in round one and then followed it up by shooting the same score in her second round. Hung recorded nine birdies and one bogey on her way to a second straight 8-under 64. The 22-year-old is now 16-under through 36 holes, the second lowest score to par in Epson Tour history behind Gabi Ruffels, who was 18-under through 36 holes at the 2023 Dream First Bank Charity Classic. Hung will enter the final round 8-shots clear of her closest competitors and will need to shoot a 73 or better on her last 18 holes to break the 54-hole tournament scoring record set by Hannah Yun in 2013.
"I don't think it's sunk in yet," said Hung. "I mean, I was making sure I could focus on every shot out there. To be honest, I wasn't really keeping track of the score or anything. I was just trying to play my best. Today, my long game wasn't that good. So, I'm happy with the score of course, but I know there's still something left out there."
For Hung, a win in the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa would be a significant milestone in her rookie year on the Epson Tour. Despite being a newcomer, she is no stranger to closing out golf tournaments, with six victories on the Taiwan LPGA Tour under her belt. Her most recent win was just before the start of her Epson Tour season at the 2023 Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open. A win in this tournament could catapult her into the top 5 in the Race for the Card, a remarkable achievement that would see her jump over 90 spots.
"I didn't have a great start to the year to the year," said Hung. "So, I was kind of not so motivated, but I went back to Taiwan, had a bit of a holiday, and kind of regrouped myself. And I'm just happy I'm playing better."
Lauren Stephenson and Emilee Hoffman are the two players who have managed to stay within striking distance of Hung. Stephenson, with a bogey-free round two, made five birdies and carded a 5-under 67. Hoffman, despite a more eventful round, rolled in six birdies to go along with two bogeys, signing a 4-under 68. Both players have a tough task ahead of them and will need to put together a special round to catch up with Hung.
"I think the course is in really good shape. The greens are fantastic, and the fairways are great," explained Hoffman. "I always love playing golf in California. I'm from Sacramento area, so Whenever I get a chance to come back to California, I'm always super happy and I feel super comfortable out here."
The final round is set to begin at 7:30 AM PDT in groups of two off hole No. 1. The leaders will tee off at 12:50 PM PDT with play expected to finish around 5:30 PM PDT.
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