Jiyai Shin during her second-round 64 at Royal Liverpool

Jiyai Shin of South Korea shot a second round of eight under par 64 – the lowest ever round by a woman at Royal Liverpool – to open up a five stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open.

Shin, who won the Kingsmill Championship on Monday after a nine-hole play-off, scorched the Hoylake course with an eagle and six birdies in the final major championship of the season.

Shin ended at nine under overall, five strokes clear of fellow Korean Inbee Park (68) with early clubhouse leader Mika Miyazato (70) of Japan and seven-time major champion Karrie Webb of Australia (70) a shot further behind on three under par.

The previous women’s course record at Royal Liverpool was 67, set by Mhairi McKay at the Women’s British Amateur in 1996. Four men have shot 65 in majors at Royal Liverpool: Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and Chris DiMarco: all in The Open Championship in 2006.

Shin, the 2008 champion at Sunningdale, hit 18 greens in regulation, didn’t find a bunker and only missed one fairway as she plotted her way around the links on a sunny afternoon. She played her first nine in becalmed conditions, before the winds strengthened later in the day.

“A bogey‑free day and then bunker‑free, too,” said Shin. “I missed just one fairway.  And on the back nine, it’s blowing very strong wind, but I just stay focussed on my tempo.”

Shin made an unbelievable start when she chipped in from 30 yards for eagle at the 10th, her first hole. She then followed with three straight birdies and after picking up another shot on 16 she was six under through seven holes.

On her second nine, she birdied the fourth and the seventh and held on to post her lowest ever round in a major championship. The lowest round in a women’s major is 62, recorded by Minea Blomqvist in the 2004 Ricoh Women’s British Open and equalled by Lorena Ochoa in the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

“I can’t believe the way I hit it, 64 shots today on this course, it’s really tough,” Shin said. “I just played last week at the Kingsmill, I hit 9‑under par, and then, but it’s a totally different golf course.”

Shin had wrist surgery on May 24 and took two months out from the game this summer, returning to competition with a third place finish in Japan, the week before the Evian Masters in July.

Fellow Korean Inbee Park, the recent Evian Masters champion, was five under par after 11 holes. She birdied 10 and 17, eagled 18 and picked up another shot at the first hole, but dropped a stroke at the third, playing as her 12th, to end four under overall.

“I had a lot of easy birdies on the back nine, and the front nine was really tough because the wind picked up,” said Park, who has recorded eight straight top ten finishes on the LPGA coming into this championship. That figure includes six top-fives.

Katie Futcher of the United States ended alone in fifth at two under, with five players on one under: Ai Miyazato (72), Jenny Shin (68), Vicky Hurst (72), Carin Koch (71) and 15-year-old amateur Lydia Ko (71). Two-time defending champion Yani Tseng was in a group on level par after successive 72s.

The second round was postponed due to strong winds on Friday and the final 36 holes will be played on Sunday without a redraw.

When asked how she would cope with playing 36 holes, Shin didn’t feel this would be a problem as the break on Friday had allowed her time to physically recover from her play-off victory and subsequent jet lag.

The cut to the leading 50 players and ties fell to 57 players at five over par, although those down to position 65 and tied will still receive prize money.

Former winner Laura Davies was 10 over when she withdrew with an ankle injury after nine holes in her second round, while Stacey Keating of Australia was disqualified after signing for an incorrect score. She was lying in a share of 32nd on three over par at the time.

The third round tee times are from 7am until 8.30am on Sunday, with the fourth and final round scheduled to conclude at approximately 6.30pm.

 

Ricoh Women’s British Open

Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake

13-16 September, 2012

Scores at the end of round 2:

 

135 – Jiyai Shin (KOR)  71 64

140 – Inbee Park (KOR)  72 68

141 – Mika Miyazato (JPN)  71 70, Karrie Webb (AUS)  71 70

142 – Katie Futcher (USA)  71 71

143 – Ai Miyazato (JPN)  71 72, Jenny Shin (KOR)  75 68, Vicky Hurst (USA)  71 72, Carin Koch (SWE)  72 71, Lydia Ko (NZL)  72 71

144 – So Yeon Ryu (KOR)  70 74, Katherine Hull (AUS)  72 72, Stacy Lewis (USA)  74 70, Yani Tseng (TPE)  72 72, Yuki Ichinose (JPN)  72 72, Angela Stanford (USA)  72 72

145 – Chella Choi (KOR)  72 73, Hee-Kyung Seo (KOR)  72 73, Cristie Kerr (USA)  72 73, Julieta Granada (PAR)  74 71, Holly Clyburn (ENG)  72 73, Michelle Wie (USA)  75 70, Morgan Pressel (USA)  72 73, Paula Creamer (USA)  73 72, Amy Yang (KOR)  73 72

146 – Na Yeon Choi (KOR)  73 73, Amy Hung (TPE)  72 74, Bronte Law (ENG)  75 71, Lydia Hall (WAL)  71 75, Jane Park (USA)  74 72, Sydnee Michaels (USA)  75 71

147 – Dewi Claire Schreefel (NLD)  73 74, Carlota Ciganda (ESP)  76 71, Karine Icher (FRA)  75 72, In Kyung Kim (KOR)  75 72, Hee-Won Han (KOR)  72 75, Becky Morgan (WAL)  72 75

148 – Juli Inkster (USA)  79 69, Erina Hara (JPN)  75 73, Lindsey Wright (AUS)  76 72, Cindy Lacrosse (USA)  73 75

149 – Sarah-Jane Smith (AUS)  74 75, Candie Kung (TPE)  73 76, Jing Yan (CHN)  80 69, Haeji Kang (KOR)  70 79, Mo Martin (USA)  77 72, Beatriz Recari (ESP)  72 77, Line Vedel (DNK)  80 69, Eun Hee Ji (KOR)  75 74, Sun Young Yoo (KOR)  74 75, Stephanie Na (AUS)  76 73, Catriona Matthew (SCO)  76 73, Trish Johnson (ENG)  72 77, Hee Young Park (KOR)  78 71, Lee-Anne Pace (ZAF)  76 73, Florentyna Parker (ENG)  77 72, Lexi Thompson (USA)  74 75

Missed the cut:

150 – Jacqui Concolino (USA)  74 76, Diana Luna (ITA)  75 75, Jin Young Pak (KOR)  76 74, Nikki Garrett (AUS)  74 76, Giulia Sergas (ITA)  76 74, Shanshan Feng (CHN)  77 73, Amanda Blumenherst (USA)  76 74, Sophie Gustafson (SWE)  80 70, Azahara Munoz (ESP)  76 74, Alison Walshe (USA)  77 73, Linda Wessberg (SWE)  73 77, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE)  74 76, Maiko Wakabayashi (JPN)  73 77, Christine Song (USA)  73 77, Pornanong Phatlum (THA)  74 76, Belen Mozo (ESP)  74 76

151 – Charley Hull (ENG)  71 80, Valentine Derrey (FRA)  76 75, Emily Taylor (ENG)  75 76, Mi Jung Hur (KOR)  79 72, Megumi Kido (JPN)  76 75, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)  75 76, Suzann Pettersen (NOR)  76 75, Kris Tamulis (USA)  75 76, Gerina Piller (USA)  77 74

152 – Anja Monke (DEU)  77 75, Meredith Duncan (USA)  77 75, Veronica Felibert (VEN)  75 77, Christel Boeljon (NLD)  76 76, Kristy Mcpherson (USA)  77 75, Natalie Gulbis (USA)  73 79, Nicole Castrale (USA)  73 79, Karen Lunn (AUS)  77 75, Mariajo Uribe (COL)  76 76, Anna Nordqvist (SWE)  75 77

153 – Karin Sjodin (SWE)  78 75, Danielle Kang (USA)  79 74, Mina Harigae (USA)  74 79, Alexandra Peters (ENG)  73 80, Caroline Hedwall (SWE)  75 78, Felicity Johnson (ENG)  78 75, Momoko Ueda (JPN)  80 73, Il Hee Lee (KOR)  76 77

154 – Jodi Ewart (ENG)  79 75, Rachel Bailey (AUS)  79 75, Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA)  75 79, Lorie Kane (CAN)  78 76, Maria Hjorth (SWE)  75 79, Rebecca Codd (IRL)  77 77, Rebecca Hudson (ENG)  76 78, Amy Boulden (WAL)  78 76, Mindy Kim (KOR)  77 77, Melissa Reid (ENG)  77 77, Meena Lee (KOR)  77 77, Carly Booth (SCO)  77 77

155 – Stacy Lee Bregman (ZAF)  76 79, Caroline Masson (DEU)  76 79, Jennifer Rosales (PHL)  81 74, Rebecca Artis (AUS)  80 75, Brittany Lincicome (USA)  73 82

156 – Louise Larsson (SWE)  75 81, Danielle Montgomery (ENG)  76 80, Joanna Klatten (FRA)  77 79, Jennifer Song (USA)  81 75, Jessica Korda (USA)  82 74, Samantha Richdale (CAN)  77 79, Beth Allen (USA)  78 78

157 – Kaori Ohe (JPN)  74 83, Leona Maguire (IRL)  75 82, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)  78 79, Karen Stupples (ENG)  76 81

158 – Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  79 79, Charlotte Thompson (ENG)  82 76, Jennie Lee (USA)  80 78

159 – Sandra Gal (DEU)  81 78, Jimin Kang (KOR)  83 76, Kathlyn Ekey (USA)  81 78

161 – Sophie Sandolo (ITA)  76 85, Brittany Lang (USA)  82 79, Tandi Cuningham (ZAF)  77 84

164 – Ryann O Toole (USA)  84 80, Aiko Ueno (JPN)  82 82, Miriam Nagl (DEU)  82 82

168 – Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)  87 81

Laura Davies (ENG)  RTD

Stacey Keating (AUS) DQ