Buhai still in the Olympic mix after tough 1-over 73 in second round

Aug 8, 2024 | Featured, South Africans abroad

Despite two double-bogeys in her second round of the women’s competition in the Paris Olympic Games at Le Golf National, Ashleigh Buhai was still in the hunt for a medal after her one-over-par 73 on Thursday.

Buhai made double on one and on 12, as well as a bogey on the fourth, but four battling birdies kept her in the mix as she reached the 36-hole mark in three-over-par. That was just five strokes off the lead which was held at eight-under by Switzerland’s Morgan Metraux. The Swiss start held a one-stroke lead over Ruoning Yin of China, with former world number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand two shots further back on five-under in third.

“It ewas really hard out there,” said Buhai. “I felt I played really good again today. I didn’t make a bad swing when I made double on the first. It just came out a little heavy from the semi-rough. The second double was a little disappointing because I had to play out of a bunker and then I was between two wedges. I hit the harder one and it just spun too much. It was just bad course management. I didn’t let it ruin me. I just kept staying committed to what I needed to do and I hit good shots coming in.

“It was very difficult to hit it close. We had so many balls downwind, front wind… it’s impossible! It’s so firm. While the wind may be an issue, shots are difficult because we’re struggling to hold the green. You’ve just got to be smart about the angles.”

Fellow South African Paula Reto also had a one-over 73 in the second round, a five-stroke improvement on her opening round. Her seven-over-total put her in a share of 47th.

Buhai is feeling bullish about her chances in Paris. “I feel like I’m pretty close to where I was in the summer of 2022 when I won the Women’s Open,” she said. “I had started to turn a corner on my return to that level at the KPMG, and then broke my toe.

“But with nine birdies so far, it gives me confidence going forward. There are birdie chances out there, but at the same time, big numbers come so easily.”

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