MUIRFIELD, Scotland — 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 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, one shot better than 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.
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 dollars each day. So before each round, it’s like setting another goal. That mindset 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 Tour victories, three have come at majors, including the 2016 Evian Championship and 2015 U.S. Women’s Open.
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 finished with a bogey.
Overnight leader Hinako Shibuno followed her opening 65 with a 73 to fall four shots off the pace. Jessica Korda, who was second after the first round, settled for a 74 and was in a tie for 17th.
Four-time major winner Laura Davies, making her 42nd appearance at the event at the age of 58, missed the cut after an 81 that included a 10 on the 18th.
PGA: Joohyung “Tom” Kim began the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a quadruple bogey on his first hole and wasn’t the least bit bothered.
Already assured a PGA Tour card for next season, Kim overcame his rough start with a 6-under 64 on Friday that gave him a share of the lead with Brandon Wu and Ryan Moore in the final PGA Tour event of the regular season.
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 – he goes by “Tom” because of his fascination as a kid with Thomas the Tank Engine in the TV series “Thomas & Friends” – 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.
That gave him enough points to be assured of a card next year. And as he has shown in two days, it takes a lot to stop this train.
He took eight shots for his first hole on Thursday. Since then, Kim has made 14 birdies and reached 9-under 131 along with Wu (67) and Moore (67).
“If you would have told me after the first hole yesterday where I’d be after two days, I definitely would have taken it, so pretty happy,” Kim said.
“It’s just one bad hole,” he said, “Told myself, ‘You know what? I’ve got plenty of holes to bring it back if I just play well on my next 35 holes.’ And that’s exactly what I did. I played better than I thought I was going to, so it’s a bonus.”
John Huh, who opened with a 61, had a 71 and was one shot behind along with Russell Henley (65) and Sungjae Im (67).
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Padraig Harrington made a long eagle putt on the final hole for a 6-under 64 and a one-shot lead over Kirk Triplett in the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta.
Harrington matched his lowest score of the year on the 50-and-older circuit.
Paul Goydos and Robert Karlsson each shot a 66, while Matt Gogel and John Huston were another shot behind at 67.
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