Chun in a good spot to get another major
In Gee Chun is making another strong run at a major.
The South Korean golfer took the halfway lead at the Women’s British Open after a 5-under-par 66 in the second round on Friday, putting her in position to challenge for a second major title of the year, and fourth overall.
Chun had an 8-under total of 134, putting her one shot ahead of South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, who both shot 65.
Seven-time major winner Inbee Park, also of South Korea, was a shot further back after a 67.
Chun, who won the Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional in June despite consecutive weekend rounds of 75, carded six birdies and a solitary bogey in her round at Muirfield in Scotland.
Sunday’s winner will earn more than $1 million but Chun said she was also motivated by a slightly smaller cash prize on offer.
“Before the start of the tournament, my caddie Dean and I talked about the course and after that we had a little bit of betting,” Chun said.
“If I make a bogey-free round he’s said he’s going to buy me dinner and pay me $100 each day. So before each round it’s like setting another goal. That mind-set helped a lot on the course. I had two bogeys over the last two days but I want to keep trying to make a bogey-free round.”
Of Chun’s four LPGA victories, three have come at majors, including the 2016 Evian Championship and 2015 US Women’s Open.
On Friday, she even got some help from one of the gusts of wind that make Scottish links golf so tricky.
“I have a great reason to love the Scottish wind now,” Chun said.
“My ball was around the edge of the hole today, and after like three seconds it dropped. So now I can enjoy more the Scottish wind.”
Buhai looked on course to claim the halfway lead when she made an eagle and four birdies to race to the turn in 30, but after picking up another shot on the 11th she could not make any further gains and dropped her only shot of the day on the last.
PGA — Joohyung “Tom” Kim began the Wyndham Championship with a quadruple bogey on his first hole and wasn’t the least bit bothered. The kid seems to be going places in a hurry.
Already set to have a PGA Tour card for next season, Kim overcame his rough start with a 6-under 64 that gave him a share of the lead with Brandon Wu and Ryan Moore at 9-under 13 in the final PGA Tour event of the regular season in Greensboro, N.C.
Kim, a 20-year-old South Korean, has to win at Sedgefield Country Club to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs because he will not be considered a PGA Tour member until September when the new season starts.
Only a victory gives him instant membership.
Kim finished third in the Scottish Open, made the cut in the British Open and 3M Open, and then finished seventh last week in the Rocket Mortgage Classic.