Ko in ‘solid position’ as Thai leads Open

Lydia Ko’s chance at a first major triumph in more than two years remained alive at the halfway mark of the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

The 21-year-old Kiwi former world No 1 carded a one-under 71 in her second round to be tied for eighth at five-under par, five shots off the lead.

Ko won the second of her two majors — the ANA Inspiration — in April 2016, and has struggled for form and consistency since, slipping to 17th on the world rankings.

“My ball striking wasn’t as good as yesterday, so I didn’t really have that many birdie opportunities, but overall I think I was pretty solid and made a few good up and downs . . . I feel like I’m in a pretty solid position,” Ko said after her round.

“It was a little more challenging because it started raining during the holes coming in and I feel they are some of the toughest holes on the course.

“It’s the British Open, you’re going to get a little bit of drizzle and you just have to manage that.”

The tournament leader at -10 was Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, who has shot consecutive rounds of 67.

The 97th-ranked player has yet to drop a shot in two straight rounds of five-under that give her a one-stroke lead heading into the weekend.

While first-round leader Minjee Lee and Mamiko Higa encountered problems down the stretch to give up two-shot leads yesterday, Pornanong played a steady hand and put her pink ball in all the right places — explicitly, out of the many bunkers that define the course.

The 28-year-old Thai missed a ten-foot putt for birdie in front of the clubhouse on the 18th green but that didn’t get her down.

“I’ve had a game plan,” Pornanong said. “I try to plan every shot, every hole.”

It’s given her a great chance of winning a first major title, and claiming a first victory on the LPGA Tour.

Her last win was on the Asian Tour in January 2015 and she has only one top-10 finish all year — a tie for seventh at the US Women’s Open in 2014.

She has already put some distance between many of the big names in women’s golf.

Top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn was seven shots back after rounds of 71 and 70, No 6 Shanshan Feng (71-71) was one stroke further back, and No 2 Inbee Park (76-74) missed the cut.

Only six players were inside five shots of Pornanong towards the end of the second round. They have pedigree, though. In a threeway share of second place on nineunder is Lee, who was clear at 12-under before she doublebogeyed the 16th and dropped another shot at 17 to post a 70.