Mao Saigo already won her first major title this year. She’s putting herself in position for another at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Saigo shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take second-round lead at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. 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.

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 — the best round she’s had in the event.

She was 5 under with Hinako Shibuno (69), Sarah Schmelzel (68), Maja Stark (69), Yealimi Noh (71) and A Lim Kim (71).

Nick Taylor brought his best golf on a day that required no less amid the rain at the Memorial. He putted for birdie on all but one hole, somehow kept bogeys off his card and had a 4-under 68 that gave him a share of the lead with Ben Griffin in Dublin, Ohio.

Griffin caught a slight break in the afternoon when the rain relented and Muirfield Village was soft. He shot a 72 that put him at 7-under 137 with Taylor.

WNBA

Sabrina Ionescu hit four 3-pointers and finished with 28 points, Jonquel Jones had 14 points and 18 rebounds, and the unbeaten New York Liberty beat the Washington Mystics 85-63.

The defending WNBA champion Liberty (6-0) are off to the best start in franchise history. Included in New York’s wins are back-to-back wins at home against Golden State this week.

Bueckers out: Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers will miss at least two games after being placed under the WNBA’s concussion protocol.

The Wings said Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft out of UConn, was put in concussion protocol after their 97-92 loss at Chicago on Thursday.