Asian duo lead Women's British Open
BY iseekgolf.com | Ladies European Tour | 2008 Ricoh Women's British Open | Round Two | 02 Aug 2008
Japan’s Yuri Fudoh and Korea’s Ji-Yai Shin hold a one-shot lead heading into the final two rounds of the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open. Both players are at 10-under par on the Sunningdale course after they both added 4-under par 68’s to their opening rounds of 66. They are being chased by an all-star international pack headed by first round leader Juli Inkster, who carded a solid 2-under par round of 70 to sit on 9-under.
Shin will be remembered by Australians as the player who took Karrie Webb to the playoff in the 2008 Women’s Australian Open. The current world No. 10 has already recorded three victories on her home tour in Korea this year (after nine wins in 2007) and another on the lucrative LPGA of Japan.
While world No.22 Fudoh may not be that well known to Australians, she is a legend in her own right in Japan. She was the leading money winner on that tour for six straight years from 2000-2005 and has 40 tournament victories to her credit. She is aiming to become just the second Japanese player to win the Women’s British Open after Ayako Okamoto won in 1984.
The round of the day came from 2007 US Women’s Open champion Cristie Kerr, who finished with a 7-under par 65 to move into a tie for 4th place at 8-under. She would be a little disappointed in the end as she had to settle for seven pars to finish her round after being 7-under through 11 holes.
Korea’s Bo Bae Song turned in her second consecutive 68 to sit tied with Kerr and will be one to watch on the weekend having had only two bogeys in the opening two rounds.
World No.1 Lorena Ochoa, 2007 Evian Masters champion Natalie Gulbis and Japan’s Ai Miyazato all sit on 7-under par and well within touch with 36 holes to go. Defending champion, Ochoa has made seven birdies at the eight par 5’s she’s played and is looking in good touch.
Another four players sit just four strokes off the lead including Laura Diaz, who had what is arguably one of the most bizarre even par rounds imaginable. For the second day in a row, she eagled the first hole and then her next 17 holes included another two eagles on 10 and 11, one birdie, five bogeys and one double bogey. Out of all that, a round of 72 that sees her sit on 6-under par with Japan’s Momoko Ueda, Swede Sophie Gustafson and Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji.
A further 33 players sit on 2-under par or better and all in with a realistic chance of contending on Sunday. Karrie Webb is one of those after a second round of 3-under par 69 to go into the weekend at 3-under 141.
Rachel Hetherington and Katherine Hull are just one shot behind Webb after second rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. Joanne Mills also made the cut and will be go into the third round on 1-under par 143.
In her final major before retirement, Annika Sorenstam has fired two even par rounds to make the cut but sits well back in a tie for 59th. The cut was made at 1-over par 145.
Round 3 commences just after 4.30pm AEST.
Source – ALPG
