Pettersen pulls ahead after soggy second round
TURNBERRY, Scotland — If the first day of the Women’s British Open was all about Donald Trump, the second day belonged to Suzann Pettersen.
The Norwegian took a twostroke lead into the weekend after being one of just two players to break 70 in a soggy second round at Turnberry that left many in the 144-woman field scurrying for shelter and bemoaning the un-summerlike conditions.
Out at 6.41 a.m. Friday in the second group, Pettersen shot a 3-under 69 for a score that only looked better and better as a gruelling day on the wind-beaten Ailsa links wore on. Maria McBride of Sweden was the only player to beat Pettersen’s score with a bogey-free 66 but was still way off the pace after an opening-round 79.
“I was in 100 per cent control of the ball — the flight, the spin, everything you need to do in conditions like this,” said the sixth- ranked Pettersen, who called it one of the best rounds of her career. “It felt like I was pulling off every shot I was standing over.”
Pettersen’s 7-under 137 put her two shots clear of a quartet tied for second that included New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who shot a 73 in some of the worst conditions in the afternoon, when the winds swirled and gusted up to 25 mph.
“I was eating my sandwich — my bread was getting wet in the rain,” said the 18-year-old Ko, who wore four layers of clothes, hand warmers and ear muffs at times during her round. And Pettersen’s 69? “Pretty amazing,” Ko said. Teresa Lu (71) of Taiwan and South Korean pair So Yeon Ryu (72) and Jin-Young Ko (70) were also at 5-under with Ko, who is trying to become the youngest winner of a major.
Top-ranked Inbee Park, seeking to complete the career sweep of the majors, shot a 73 to sit five strokes off Pettersen. Michelle Wie withdrew after aggravating a left ankle injury when she slipped to the ground as she walked off the 13th tee.
Defending champion Mo Martin shot an 80 and missed the cut, which was at 5-over, as did Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer and U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster.
Teen star Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot 3-over 75 on Friday to give her a tworound score of 4-over. She struggled with double-bogeys on the first and 16th holes, but it was enough to make the cut of 5-over. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp also just made the cut after shooting a second round of 5-over that included seven bogeys.