Haeran Ryu leads again, Ko and Choi lead Australasians at Women’s Open
Haeran Ryu during today’s second round at Royal Lytham & St Annes – image R&A via Getty Images
Despite a slow start to her second round at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, South Korea’s Haeran Ryu has kept alive her hopes of a third consecutive major title with a round of 69 to take the 36-hole lead by one over Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and American Yealimi Noh another shot back in third place.
Bogeys at the 3rd and a double at the 5th today saw Ryu drop off the pace, but she was almost faultless from there, picking up five birdies, including one at the last, to move past the opening-round leader, Thitikul, and Kuwaki, both of whom had played earlier in the day.
Having won the KPMG Women’s PGA and Amundi Evian Championships at her last two starts, Ryu is chasing a unique treble of major championships. It has been 13 years since Korean Inbee Park won three in a row in 2013.
Moving from 13th in the Rolex Ranking at the beginning of the year to now 3rd, Ryu is seemingly on track to challenge Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul for the positions above her currently.
“I’m just trying to have fun on the course because this course is a lot of stress in the golf because a lot of bunkers and green is tough, so — and then windy, too — so just trying to find the fun in the golf course with my caddie,” said Ryu.
When asked how long it has taken her to become comfortable with a lead given her recent efforts Ryu responded: “I have been playing golf almost 15 years, so I think I’ve learned a lot of experience for the good position. So that’s why these days I’m pretty calm and pretty happy on the golf course.
“Yeah, I think I don’t want to focus on other players. I just keep thinking about my golf and the golf course. So because a lot of great players in here, that’s why I just want to think about my golf. Because this is a major; nobody knows what comes up. So I just want tomorrow to be happy with my play and just think about my swing and, yeah, that’s it.”
Australasian hopes are led by New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and a surprising performance by Open Championship debutante, Queenslander Robyn Choi, both at 1 under, six shots behind the lead and tied for 14th.
Ko’s mid-round stretch of three birdies in four holes around the turn played a big role in her round of 1 under 70, and she is not without at least some hope of winning this title for a second time, having won at St Andrews in 2024.
“I think this is the toughest Women’s Open championship venue I have ever played,” said Ko earlier in the week. “I don’t know what I thought when I played in 2018. I might have been in a lot of bunkers that are on the golf course that are in my memory bank. It actually feels like a very new course to me. I know they made a little bit of adjustments on a couple of the holes.
“But, yeah, it’s a hard golf course. Even on a pretty perfect day like today it’s playing hard. So when you win on that kind of caliber of golf course, I think it’s always something that you come off feeling extra proud.”
Choi has done remarkably well in her first attempt in this championship and in her first real experience on this style of golf course.
“I think I just really drove it well,” said Choi. “I tried to avoid all the pot bunkers out there. I think that was kind of huge.
“But just trying to keep steady golf, try not to make mistakes. I think trying not to make bogey is kind of the key out here rather than trying to play aggressive and making birdies. So just tried to stick to that game plan.
Honestly, it’s been great. It is kind of what I have been expecting: Tough conditions, major, windy.
“But, you know, I think I feel like after playing the two rounds I feel like my game is going to improve a lot just playing in this kind of condition. I’ve never really played on this style of golf course. I mean, in Australia, but I still feel like it’s kind of different.
“Yeah, I think I’ll just become a better player honestly after playing in those tough conditions.”
Hannah Green is at 2 over and tied for 31st, while New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey is the only other Australasian to make the weekend at 4 over, which was the cut score.
