Haeran Ryu takes 1-shot lead after 2 rounds at British Women’s Open

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) — Haeran Ryu birdied No. 18 to complete a 2-under 69 for a one-shot lead after two rounds of the British Women’s Open on Friday as the South Korean star pursues a third consecutive major victory.

Ryu overcame a tough start — including a double bogey on the par-3 5th — to tally five birdies and reach 7 under overall at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

Shiho Kuwaki of Japan was one shot back after her 70, and overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul and Yealimi Noh were tied for third, both two strokes behind Ryu.

“I’m just trying to have fun on the course because this course is (very) stressful,” Ryu said, citing “a lot of bunkers” plus windy conditions.

Not since Inbee Park in 2013 has anyone claimed three straight majors. Ryu won the Women’s PGA at Hazeltine and closed with 60 to win the Evian Championship.

“(There are) a lot of great players in here, so that’s why I just want to think about my golf,” she added. “Because this is a major, nobody knows what comes up.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot 72 to sit at 2 over in a group tied for 31st, while Vancouver’s Anna Huang missed the cut.

Thitikul, still in pursuit of her first victory at a major, brought a two-stroke lead over Kuwaki and Ryu into day two but made three bogeys in her 73.

“I’m not hitting like as close to the pin as yesterday,” Thitikul said. “Maybe the pin position was kind of hard, too.”

Kuwaki led after her birdie on 16 and following Thitikul’s second bogey of the day — on the par-5 11th when the Thai star’s putt for par didn’t drop.

Noh bounced back from a double bogey on the par-4 No. 4 with back-to-back birdies in her 70.

Thitikul, one of only two players to have been No. 1 in the women’s world ranking without ever having won a major, had a bogey-free 64 in the first round but didn’t give herself a good birdie opportunity Friday until the par-3 12th, where she rolled in from six feet to regain a share of the lead at the time on 6 under overall.

With Kuwaki in the clubhouse, Thitikul then fell a shot back on the 14th when she misjudged a birdie putt before missing from four feet on her second putt, ending with her third bogey. Thitikul limited the damage, though, on the 15th when she saved par with a long putt.

“I definitely … get frustrated sometimes,” Thitikul said. “I get really frustrated when I three-putt on 14 and then I end up on like the bunker on 15. I was like so frustrated out there.”

Thitikul has been overlooked during the LPGA major season dominated by Ryu and Nelly Korda, who have split the four majors. Korda, who replaced Thitikul at No. 1 in April, won the first two majors and Ryu won the next two.

Kuwaki had three straight birdies early in her round but sandwiched them with bogeys. She dropped another shot on the 15th.

Korda trails by six shots after her 68 on Friday.

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The Associated Press