Ko battles to make cut as Fox in the hunt

Lydia Ko narrowly avoided missing her first cut of the 2022 LPGA Tour after struggling in her second round at the Founders Cup in New Jersey.

Ko began yesterday’s round at three-under, six shots off the pace and requiring a more consistent effort.

However, the world No 3 struggled from the outset, with three bogeys on the opening nine holes, before she double-bogeyed the 10th.

She recovered somewhat over the following five holes, recording birdies on 11 and 15 to sit in a safe position with three holes to play. However, she bogeyed the 16th for the second time in the tournament and only a birdie on 17 saved her from missing the cut.

Ko sits at one-under, 13 shots behind leader Minjee Lee, who recorded eight birdies and an eagle as part of an impressive round of nine-under.

Meanwhile, Ryan Fox has had no trouble finding consistency on the DP World Tour after laying down his second successive round of 68 at the Soudal Open in Belgium.

Fox is sixth, two shots behind the leaders, after a round that could have been a lot better had it not been for his final four holes.

The world No 106 was sitting pretty at nine-under approaching the end of his second round before bogeys on 15, 16 and 18 saw him plunge down the leaderboard.

Fellow Kiwi Josh Geary made the cut on the number at one-under, while 14-year-old Ukrainian Lev Grinberg became the second youngest player to make a cut on the Tour.

On the Champions Tour, Steven Alker continued his strong recent form in the second round of the Regions Tradition major in Alabama.

Playing in his first senior major, the Kiwi sits in a share of fifth at the halfway mark after shooting a threeunder 69 in the second round, fading on the final holes after making a hot start.

Alker, who shot four-under in the first round, made five birdies in his first nine holes to sit one shot off the lead. But after making another birdie on the fifth hole, the 50-year-old was unable to continue that surge and undid some of the good work with three straight bogeys.

Alker will head into the third round on seven-under, four shots off American Steve Stricker at the top of the leaderboard.