ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Mao Saigo already won her first major title this year. She’s putting herself in position for another at U.S. Women’s Open.
Saigo shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take second-round lead at Erin Hills, At 8-under 136, the 23-year-old Japanese player had a three-stroke advantage over a group of six led by top-ranked Nelly Korda.
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A Lim Kim, of South Korea, hits from the third tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Nelly Korda hits from the 12th tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Nelly Korda reacts to her putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Mao Saigo, of Japan, on the first green during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Mao Saigo, of Japan, hits from the 18th tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
If Saigo maintains this pace, she would finish at 16 under to match the score Brooks Koepka had in winning the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017. Koepka matched a U.S. Open record.
Saigo was asked whether 16 under might be within reach.
“It is very difficult to compare,” she said through an intepretor. “All I can say is that I will do my best, and as a result, I would like to make a good result.”
Saigo won Chevron Championship in a playoff outside Houston just over a month ago for her first LPGA Tour title.
Korda, who has never finished higher than a tie for eighth in the U.S. Women’s Open, had a 67. That’s the best round she’s had in the event.
“I feel like I’ve had a very complicated relationship with U.S. Opens,” Korda said, “but I’m happy to be in the position I am heading into the weekend.”
She was 5 under with Hinako Shibuno (69), Sarah Schmelzel (68), Maja Stark (69), Yealimi Noh (71) and 2020 U.S. Women’s Open champion A Lim Kim (71). Jing Yan (69), Lin Grant (69), Chiara Tamburlini (71) and Jinhee Im (72) were 4 under.
After not making a birdie until her 18th hole Thursday, Korda had seven of them Friday thanks to her improved putting.
“Honestly, I was hitting really good putts yesterday,” Korda said. “I was hitting it exactly where I wanted to and they just weren’t falling. It was one of those days. Today I did the same thing.”
Kim was one of 18 competitors still on the course finishing their rounds when weather concerns halted play for about 54 minutes. Kim was alone in second place at 6 under and playing No. 17 when the delay happened.
The 29-year-old from South Korea said she waited out the delay in a car. Kim then returned to make par on No. 17 before bogeying the par-5 18th to fall back into a tie for second.
Kim said she still likes where she stands midway through the tournament.
“Really good position,” Kim said. “I love to chase the leader, so let me see.”
Saigo made sure everyone would be chasing her this weekend as she bounced back from some early misfortune.
After starting out at No. 10 and getting birdies on No. 11 and No. 12, Saigo bogeyed the par-5 No. 14 when she got a bad break. Her third shot hit the flagstick, bounced backward and rolled all the way to a bunker.
But she recovered by getting four birdies in a five-hole stretch from Nos. 16-2.
“I thought that was not my mistake,” Saigo said. “I just thought to myself that it was just unlucky, and then I just changed my mind."
Play was suspended due to darkness Friday night with 12 players unable to finish.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
A Lim Kim, of South Korea, hits from the third tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Nelly Korda hits from the 12th tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Nelly Korda reacts to her putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Mao Saigo, of Japan, on the first green during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Mao Saigo, of Japan, hits from the 18th tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Friday, May 30, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.
Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.
Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”
He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”
Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.
In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.
Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.
In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)
