Buhai stretches lead to 3 shots at Women’s British Open
MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND » Ashleigh Buhai stretched her surprise lead at the Women’s British Open to three shots, shooting a bogey-free 5-under 67 in Friday’s second round.
Buhai, who has never won on the LPGA Tour, birdied four of the final eight holes to post 12-under 132. The 30-year-old South African’s best previous British Open finish was a tie for 30th in 2017.
Alone in second at 9 under was 20-yearold Hinako Shibuno, a rookie on the Japan LPGA Tour who is making her LPGA Tour and major championship debut.
Shibuno, who shot 66 on Thursday, had a 69 on Friday and wowed spectators at Woburn Golf Club with her fearless play. She led for much of the afternoon before Buhai overtook her. Shibuno has two victories in Japan this year and is ranked
46th in the world.
American Lizette Salas was third at 8 under. She birdied the first four holes en route to a bogey-free 67.
Bronte Law, the top-ranked English player at No. 19, also shot 67 and was four shots back alongside Celine Boutier, second-ranked Sung Hyun Park, Caroline Masson and local favorite Charley Hull, who is playing on her home course. Boutier had the day’s lowest round at 66.
Danielle Kang had a disappointing 72 and was six shots back. Defending champion Georgia Hall was also 6 under after a 69, along with Ariya Jutanugarn (70), Carlota Ciganda (69) and top-ranked Jin Young Ko, who was frustrated after a
70. Ko is seeking her third major title of the year after winning last week’s Evian Championship in France.
An takes 1-stroke lead at Wyndham; Svensson shoots 61
GREENSBORO, N.C. » Byeong Hun An shot a 5-under 65 on Friday in the Wyndham Championship to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend
An was at 13-under 127 halfway through the PGA Tour’s final event before the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Brice Garnett was a stroke back after a 64, and six players — including 2011 Wyndham winner Webb Simpson and firstround co-leader Sungjae Im — were at
9 under.
Adam Svensson also was in that group after shooting the best round of the day — a 61 — and threatening to become the first player on tour this year to break 60.
An, who shared the first-round lead with Im at 8 under, made his move up the leaderboard with three straight birdies late in his round.
Finishing on the back nine, the 27-yearold South Korean who’s winless on tour had birdies on Nos. 3-5 and closed his second consecutive bogey-free round with four straight pars.
“I came close last couple years and, you know, maybe this week might do it,” An said about that long-awaited first victory. “But still have two more days and there are a lot of players behind me . ... Just do what I’ve been doing the last couple days and just hit a lot of fairways and greens and make some putts. If someone plays better than me, then he deserves to win it, but as long as I keep these bogey-free rounds going.”
For a while, the story of the day was whether Svensson would become the
11th player in PGA Tour history to break
60 — and the first since Brandt Snedeker opened this tournament last year by shooting a 59 on his way to a victory.
Svensson birdied seven holes on the front nine and added two more on Nos.
12-13 to move to 9 under for the day. “I was kind of like, all right, I’m 9 under par (after No. 13) and there’s still four or five holes and a par 5,” Svensson said. “I was actually pretty calm. I thought I would be a little more nervous than I was.”
His best chance to go even lower came on No. 15 but he missed a 7-foot birdie putt.