Paula Reto put herself firmly in the conversation about the AIG Women’s Open Championship on Friday when she carded a second-round two-under-par 70 at Carnoustie to climb 18 positions into a share of 21st at the halfway mark in the final major championship of the year.
She was frugal for the second round in a row as she dropped just one shot on the eighth hole after seven consecutive birdies to open up, and she made three birdies on the part of the course commentators are call ‘the scoring holes’ – on 12, 14 and 16.
She is just five shots off the lead which is shared by England’s Georgia Hall and Miona Harigae of the United States on seven-under. They have a one-stroke lead over Sei Young Kim of South Korea and Lizette Salas of the United States.
Ashleigh Buhai carded a second round of two-over par 74 to move to three-over for the tournament. She missed the cut by two strokes. Lee-Anne Pace retired after the par-four six hole where she made an eight.
Defending champion Sophia Popov of Germany also missed the cut on three-over for the tournament.
A ‘very confident’ Hall was pleased to take trickier pin positions and a mishap at the 15th in her stride as she produced another fine round at Carnoustie to enter the weekend firmly in contention to lift her second AIG Women’s Open.
Three front-nine birdies got the 25-year-old’s day off to a bright start and she had the outright lead heading down the 15th, only for a double bogey to set her back. But Hall recovered to par the last three holes and put herself in prime position for a weekend challenge.
“I thought I played better than yesterday, a bit more consistent,” she said. “The pins were a little bit harder today, more tucked behind bunkers, so I’m very happy with how I’ve done. A double bogey with the three hardest holes to play is not ideal! I tried to stay as patient as possible, hit a good shot off 16 and managed to par my way in, so I was happy with that.”
