In Gee Chun is chasing her fourth major title after claiming a narrow lead after the second day of the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield. In blustery conditions over the East Lothian links, the Korean signed for a five-under 66 and a 36-hole total of eight-under-par.
The 27-year-old, who won the Women’s PGA Championship in June to add to her 2015 US Women’s Open and 2016 Evian Championship titles, racked up four birdies in a brilliant back nine of 31.
Chun has a one-shot advantage over South African Ashleigh Buhai and Swede Madelene Sagstrom as the international field chase the prestigious title in the first-ever staging of the Championship at Muirfield. Inbee Park, the 2015 champion, sits a stroke further back at six-under alone in fourth place, with Australian Hannah Green and Miyuu Yamashita from Japan on five-under.
Sagstrom, who shared the runner-up spot at the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie last year, again found links golf to her liking. The 29-year-old recorded eight birdies in a sparkling round of six-under-par 65 that included back-to-back birdies to finish.
Buhai briefly led the field after three birdies and an eagle at the par-5 5th in her opening six holes. A bogey at the last saw the 33-year-old drop into a tie for second with Sagstrom. Park is well-placed after her 67 on day two. Five birdies, including one on the 18th, were offset with just one bogey for the 34-year-old Korean.
France’s Celine Boutier is in a share of seventh place on four-under alongside Australian pair Minjee Lee and Steph Kyriacou, as well as first round leader Hinako Shibuno, who added a disappointing 74 to her opening 65.
Scotland’s Louise Duncan, two strokes behind overnight, signed for a two-over-par 73. Three dropped shots in-a-row from the sixth damaged her hopes, but the 22-year-old is still well-placed inside the top-20. Duncan and Ireland’s Leona Maguire are the leading players from Great Britain and Ireland in the field, both on two-under-par.
The cut for the top 65 players and ties fell at three-over-par, with exactly 65 progressing. Defending champion Anna Nordqvist was among those to miss out at four-over-par, as did the 2020 winner Sophia Popov on the same score. Local favourite and past champion Catriona Matthew also failed to progress to the weekend after finishing on seven-over.
For all the latest scores from the AIG Women’s Open, click here.