Woad, Hull in major hunt as in-form Ryu jumps into halfway lead

Lottie Woad and Charley Hull are both five strokes off the halfway lead at the AIG Women's Open, as in-form Haeran Ryu tops another major leaderboard.  

Ryu, looking to become the first player since Inbee Park to win three consecutive majors, recovered from being three over after five holes to post five birdies in a two-under 69 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The world No 3 moved to seven under and one ahead of Japan's Shiho Kuwaki, who set the early clubhouse lead with a second-round 70, with overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul a further shot back alongside American Solheim Cup hopeful Yealimi Noh.

• AIG Women's Open: Latest scores and full leaderboard
• Recap: Second round as it happened at Royal Lytham
• When is the AIG Women's Open on Sky? Key TV times
• Get Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract

Woad looked set to threaten the outright lead until finishing a level-par 71 with two bogeys in her last five holes, with Hull posting the same score - after another mixed round - to also head into the weekend on two under.

World No 1 Nelly Korda remains in contention to challenge Ryu for a third major win of the season after an improved second-round 68 lifted her to one under, as defending champion Miyu Yamashita missed the cut after finishing a 77 with a quadruple-bogey.

Woad and Hull lead home hopes at Royal Lytham

Hull admitted she only had around three hours' sleep ahead of her second round, with the Englishwoman - a five-time major runner-up - making an early move when she cancelled out a bogey at the third with birdies at the sixth an eighth.

Dropped shots at the 10th and 15th saw Hull lose ground on the lead, before a brilliant chip-in birdie at the par-four 17th reignited her hopes of a long-awaited major breakthrough.

"Really looking forward to it," Hull said about her weekend hopes. "It's going to be loads of fun. I feel like now my nerves have settled down. Not too far back going into the weekend - better than I was last year!"

Woad - among the afternoon starters - failed to get up and down to save par at the second but made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the sixth, with the world No 5 within two of the lead until she bogeyed the 14th and dropped another shot from the bunker at the par-four last.

"I think everyone knows any British player will want to win this event," Woad told Sky Sports. "You can tell the crowd are pulling for you, but you can also sense when they are nervous. I am trying to ignore it as much as possible but use the support as a positive.

"Patience and discipline are very good. Par is a pretty good out here, and I think I've been hitting it well approach-play-wise."

Ryu leads again as Korda fights back

Thitikul quickly lost her overnight advantage when she bogeyed the third and Kuwaki - playing several groups ahead - went on a three-birdie run from the fourth, with the world No 2 struggling on the greens throughout her second-round 73.

Kuwaki mixed four birdies with three bogeys during her round, which looked set for the outright advantage until Ryu followed three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the seventh with another at the par-four 15th.

Ryu capped off an impressive fightback by rolling in a 15-foot birdie at the last, enhancing her hopes of becoming just the fifth player in history to win three consecutive major titles.

She was playing alongside Korda, winner of the opening two majors of the year, with the American birdieing all three par-fives as part of a five-shot improvement from her opening-round 73.

2024 champion Lydia Ko, former major winner Celine Boutier and England's Mimi Rhodes are also in the group on one under, while Chiara Tamburlini faces a nervous wait over her Solheim Cup qualification after missing the cut.

Team Europe's eight automatic qualifiers will be confirmed on Sunday evening before Anna Nordqvist names her captain's picks on Monday afternoon, live on Sky Sports, with the Swede eight back heading into the week after a one-under 70.

Who will win the AIG Women's Open? Watch throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from midday on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract.