-9 A Jutanugarn (Tha); -6 C Hull (Eng), EK Pedersen (Den), A Thitikul (Tha); -5 S Schmelzel (USA), K MacDonald (Sco), L Hall (Wal), R O’Toole (USA), Lee6 (Kor) |
Selected others: -1 G Hall (Eng); E L Davies (Eng); +1 C Booth, M Thomson (Sco), M Reid, E Young (Eng) |
Ariya Jutanugarn took charge on day two of the Women’s Scottish Open taking place at Dumbarnie Links in Fife.
A six-under-par 66 put Jutanugarn on nine under – three shots clear of Thai compatriot Atthaya Thitikul as well as Charley Hull and Emily Peterson.
Kelsey MacDonald from Nairn is the leading Scot on five under.
High winds made playing conditions extremely difficult and overnight leader Michele Thomson was one of the players to suffer.
Starting on seven under, she had nine bogies with just one birdie in her round of 80, which was 15 shots worse off than her opening round and finished on one over, the projected cut.
“That was brutal out there,” Thomson said about the strong winds. “You are hitting good shots and it was just ridiculous. I was doing okay having reached the turn in three over, but it was really difficult around the 10th, 11th and 12th.
“I’m delighted to be around for the weekend and would have taken that at the start of the week. But after your expectations rise following the start I had it is disappointing to have seen shots dwindling away.
“However, I have another two rounds to go and hopefully I can go out early again tomorrow and shoot a low one like yesterday.”
Carly Booth, also one over, also all made it through for the final two rounds but Gemma Dryburgh (+4), Kylie Henry (+4) and Alison Muirhead (+9) missed out.