Pornanong leads Women’s British Open
Thai defies poor record on the links to lead Women’s British Open by one stroke with flawless 67
>> LYTHAM ST ANNES: Pornanong Phatlum put her miserable Women’s British Open record behind her on Friday, hitting a second successive 67 to lead by a single stroke at the halfway point.
In her first seven appearances at the tournament, the Thai player made just a single cut but the turnaround at Royal Lytham and St Annes was dramatic.
The 28-year-old completed 36 holes without one bogey and was the leader on 10-under par 134.
Pornanong was one shot clear of group of three players — England’s Georgia Hall, Japan’s Mamiko Higa and first-round leader, Australia’s Minjee Lee.
“If someone had told me I was going to go 67, 67 I would have thought ‘wow’,” said Pornanong.
“I have always found links courses really hard,” admitted the player, who finished tied-27th when she did make the cut at Royal Birkdale in 2014.
“This is my first time at Lytham and I’ve played really well, managed to stay out of trouble and my putting was very good. I am so happy. But now I am going to rest tonight, watch some Thai dramas and try and stay relaxed.”
Pornanong, a 16-time winner on tours in Thailand, Asia and Europe, admitted she was inspired by the Jutanugarn sisters — Moriya and world No.1 Ariya — who have boosted women’s golf in her home country.
Ariya won this title at Woburn two years ago while Moriya claimed her first LPGA title at the LA Open this year.
“They have both won on the LPGA Tour,” she said. “It has made us all think that we can do it too. A lot of girls are now playing golf in Thailand. I got it into because of my dad — he is golf crazy.”
Slight of build, Pornanong is not the longest hitter. But she packed five woods into her bag and plotted her way to birdies at the fourth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 16th holes in her flawless second round.
Australia’s Lee looked set to retain her overnight lead but a doublebogey — she went from one greenside bunker to another — at the 16th and a bogey at the 17th left her having to settle for a 70 and a nine-under total.
Hall, with a second-round 68, matched Pornanong’s feat of negotiating two rounds without a bogey.
Ariya Jutanugarn was on threeunder par following a 70, and Kim In-Kyung, the defending champion, was on the same mark.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson had a hole-in-one at the ninth — Florentyna Parker had an ace at the same hole in round one — and shot a 70 for five-under.
The cut fell on one over par and those that missed out included Evian champion Anna Nordqvist and 2015 British Open champion Park In-Bee.
The only amateur to make the cut was Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul after the 15-year-old shot 71 for level par to assure herself of winning the Smyth Salver.