The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Flawless Hall just one shot off lead at Royal Lytham
Lehman’s advice paying off as English star remains bogey-free at halfway
England’s Georgia Hall remains firmly in contention to become just the third home winner of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since it became a major championship.
Hall has not dropped a shot in the first two days at Royal Lytham, adding a second round of 68 to her opening 67 for a halfway total of nine under par, a shot behind Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum.
Phatlum’s second consecutive 67 gave her a slender advantage over Hall, overnight leader Minjee Lee and Japan’s Mamiko Higa, who both paid the price for late stumbles in their rounds.
Australian Lee was five under for the day before recording a double bogey on the 16th and dropping another shot on the next, while Higa was also five under before a double bogey on the 17th.
In contrast, Hall returned a clean card featuring 14 pars and birdies on the ninth, 13th, 15th and 16th as she looks to emulate Karen Stupples (2004) and Scot Catriona Matthew (2009) as the only home winners since the event achieved major status in 2001.
“I played the practice rounds and thought ‘Wow’ this is a very tough golf course so I’m very happy to go bogeyfree so far,” Hall told Sky Sports.
“My course management has been key this week and I managed to hole some good putts so I’m very happy with the round.”
Hall has been benefiting from some advice received from former world number one Tom Lehman, who won the 1996 Open at Royal Lytham.
“He advised me just to lay up short of all the bunkers off the tee and play it as a longer golf course, which I don’t mind anyway,” said the 22-year-old from Bournemouth, whose father Wayne named her in honour of Nick Faldo’s 1996 Masters triumph in Georgia and who is her caddie this week.
“I quite like hitting four or five irons into par fours so that’s what I’m doing.”
Compatriot Florentyna Parker is five shots off the lead after a 70 and Solheim Cup captain Matthew seven adrift after posting the same score, but Charley Hull crashed out after a 78 which included five bogeys in the last eight holes in an inward half of 42.
Dame Laura Davies, 54, also missed the cut after rounds of 73 and 77 while Kylie Henry, the only other Scot in the field, bowed out after a second round 81 left her 15 over par.