Saturday 5 August 2017
Korea’s Kim leads but pack lurks at soggy Kingsbarns
Contributors Matt Hooper (on site at Kingsbarns)
Photo Credits Matt Hooper/St Andrews Magazine
Design and production Matt Hooper
Publisher Matt Hooper
Director Matt Hooper
ŠSt Andrews Magazine Ltd. 2017
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KOREAN KIM BATTLES THROUGH THE RAIN TO LEAD WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN BY TWO HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND Kingsbarns, Scotland: Kingsbarns major debut is unfortunately having to cope with some of the worst rain the Fife coast has experienced this year, with long and torrential showers which are saturating the course. The rain was at perhaps its heaviest this evening when Korea’s In-Kyung Kim was playing the final few holes, but it did not stop the 29-year-old from surging past Lexi Thompson and Georgia Hall to hold a two-stroke lead after 36 holes. Starting with a bogey at the first hole Kim then produced near flawless golf to record birdies at the 2nd and 9th to get to 8-under and making a stunning eagle at the par-five 11th to reach 10-underpar and take the lead. On her closing holes, back into the wind, she had to cope with driving rain, and she managed to keep a bogey off her card before making a stunning birdie at the difficult parfour 17th. Her drive was up the left side and she hit a hybrid to around 12 feet above the hole, draining the putt to move to 11-under. She narrowly missed out on another birdie at the 18th and had to settle for a 68. Kim was understandably delighted, and happy to be in from the rain: “I really didn’t know what I
was shooting to be honest with you. I just wanted to play in my own time because it was really hard – especially on the last four or five holes, when it kind of poured down.” Kim has already won twice this season and if she can show the resilience and class she produced today over the next two days then the title could be hers.
LEXI ROARS HOME ON THE BACK NINE TO MOVE INTO CONTENTION FOR SECOND MAJOR TITLE AT KINGSBARNS Kingsbarns, Scotland:
Lexi Thompson was at one point in her round a full seven shots off the lead after back-toback bogeys at 3 and 4, but a magnificent five successive birdies from the 10th vaulted the American into a share of the lead until being passed by the heroics of IK Kim. She added a further birdie at the par four 17th and shot 30 on the back nine for a round of 68. With the course playing almost every inch of its yardage due to the wet conditions, Lexi’s length off the tee may prove vital over the weekend, and she is focused on success: “I’m
looking forward to the weekend, I hit it great today and hopefully just continue that going into the next two days. I’m just going to focus on one shot at a time and see where it takes me” said the 2014 ANA Inspiration champion.
HALL STEALS THE SHOW AS THE ENGLISH MARCH ON KINGSBARNS Kingsbarns, Scotland: Georgia Hall has been tipped for success for a long time now, and the European Tour’s leading money winner in 2017 moved firmly into contention for a first Major title at Kingsbarns with a second round of 65. The 21-year-old made 7 birdies including four-in-arow from the 2nd to finish the second round at 9-under-par, and the Bournemouth youngster will take her place in the final group on Saturday.
“I’m playing really well, I’m especially putting good, so that is certainly helping at the moment, I was happy to walk away with a 65.” Hall is the leading Englishwoman in the field but there is a gaggle of girls within striking distance with a good round on Saturday. Jodi Ewart-Shadoff posted a 70 to add to her opening 67 to sit at 7-under-par for the first two rounds, Charley Hull (pictured) shot a 1under-par round of 71 to move to 5-under, tied with Melissa Reid who had a steady 72. Amateur Sophie Lamb is 4-under-par and Laura Davies will play on the weekend after finishing at 2-under-par.
ELIE’S SALLY WATSON THE LONE SCOT AFTER SUPER 69 SEES HER MAKE THE WEEKEND Kingsbarns, Scotland: Sally Watson hit the first tee-shot of this championship on Thursday morning, and after a second round of 69 on Friday she could still, perhaps, hit the last putt on Sunday evening. The 25-year-old from Elie qualified, along with Paula Creamer, at the Castle Course on Monday, and incredibly the pair will play together on Saturday. Watson made three birdies and an eagle in her round to move into the top 35, and has already achieved a first by making the cut in this event for the first time.
WIE GOES BACKWARDS AFTER SECOND ROUND 76 Kingsbarns, Scotland: 24 hours is a long time in golf, and Michelle Wie’s glorious opening round seems a lot longer ago than that after a shocking 76 on Friday saw her fall a full 7 shots off the pace at the half-way stage. Three bogeys and a double-bogey saw her shoot a score 12 shots worse than her first round, and the former US Open champion was understandably frustrated: “It’s disappointing, I tried to force things at the end. I got really
unlucky with a couple of bounces and the putts looked good but wouldn’t drop. Thankfully today is not Sunday and we have two days to go.”
PETTERSEN LEADS A HOST OF BIG NAMES IN MISSING THE CUT AT KINGSBARNS Kingsbarns, Scotland: Suzanne Pettersen will not have the opportunity to claim an elusive second major title this weekend after a bogey on the par-five 15th saw her miss out by a single shot. Minjee Lee, Catriona Matthew, Danielle Kang, Angela Stanford, Brittany Lang, Ai Miyazato, Karrie Webb, Emily Kristine Pedersen and defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn all crashed out of the championship after 36 holes.
2017 RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN – LEADERBOARD Second Round 1
In-Kyung Kim
KOR
-11
65
68
133
2
Georgia Hall
ENG
-9
68
67
135
Lexi Thompson
USA
-9
67
68
135
4
Ally McDonald
USA
-8
68
68
136
5
Ha Na Jang Mo Martin
KOR USA
-7 -7
69 70
68 67
137 137
Jodi Ewart Shadoff Chella Choi
ENG KOR
-7 -7
67 67
70 70
137 137
Shanshan Feng Megan Khang
CHN USA
-6 -6
71 69
67 69
138 138
THE WEATHER
Early morning clouds and rain, then variable clouds with a stray afternoon shower possible
THE GROUPS WE WILL BE FOLLOWING IN ROUND THREE