Lottie Woad and Charley Hull are both five strokes off the halfway lead at the AIG Women’s Open, as in-form Haeran Ryu tops another major leaderboard.
Ryu, looking to become the first player since Inbee Park to win three consecutive majors, recovered from being three over after five holes to post five birdies in a two-under 69 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
The world No 3 moved to seven under and one ahead of Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki, who set the early clubhouse lead with a second-round 70, with overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul a further shot back alongside American Solheim Cup hopeful Yealimi Noh.
Haeran Ryu has already won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Amundi Evian Championship this season
Woad looked set to threaten the outright lead until finishing a level-par 71 with two bogeys in her last five holes, with Hull posting the same score – after another mixed round – to also head into the weekend on two under.
World No 1 Nelly Korda remains in contention to challenge Ryu for a third major win of the season after an improved second-round 68 lifted her to one under, as defending champion Miyu Yamashita missed the cut after finishing a 77 with a quadruple-bogey.
Ryu leads again as Korda fights back
Thitikul quickly lost her overnight advantage when she bogeyed the third and Kuwaki – playing several groups ahead – went on a three-birdie run from the fourth, with the world No 2 struggling on the greens throughout her second-round 73.
Kuwaki mixed four birdies with three bogeys during her round, which looked set for the outright advantage until Ryu followed three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the seventh with another at the par-four 15th.
Ryu capped off an impressive fightback by rolling in a 15-foot birdie at the last, enhancing her hopes of becoming just the fifth player in history to win three consecutive major titles.
She was playing alongside Korda, winner of the opening two majors of the year, with the American birdieing all three par-fives as part of a five-shot improvement from her opening-round 73.
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Nelly Korda posted six birdies during her second round, including this long-range effort
2024 champion Lydia Ko, former major winner Celine Boutier and England’s Mimi Rhodes are also in the group on one under, while Chiara Tamburlini faces a nervous wait over her Solheim Cup qualification after missing the cut.
Team Europe’s eight automatic qualifiers will be confirmed on Sunday evening before Anna Nordqvist names her captain’s picks on Monday afternoon, live on Sky Sports, with the Swede eight back heading into the week after a one-under 70.
Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from midday on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract.
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