SPORTS

3-time defending champ Park likely to miss Women's PGA cut

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Inbee Park, of South Korea, watches her shot on the fourth hole fairway in the second round at the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club Friday, June 10, 2016, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (The Associated Press)

Brooke Henderson, of Canada, tees off on the seventh hole in the second round at the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club Friday, June 10, 2016, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (The Associated Press)

Inbee Park, of South Korea, watches her shot on the fourth hole fairway in the second round at the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club Friday, June 10, 2016, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (The Associated Press)

Three-time defending champion Inbee Park was in position to miss the cut Friday in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

A day after wrapping up an LPGA Hall of Fame spot, the South Korean star shot an 8-over 79 on Friday to drop to 9 over.

The top 70 plus and ties will make the cut for the final two rounds, with the afternoon wave yet to tee off at difficult Sahalee Country Club. Brooke Henderson, the first-round leader after a 67, was in the afternoon group.

Park has been dealing with inflammation in the tendons and ligaments around her left thumb. She shot an even-par 71 on Thursday, the round she needed to complete the 10-year requirement for the LPGA Hall of Fame. At 27, she became the youngest player to accomplish the feat. But she made five bogeys and a double bogey on her final nine holes of the second round.