Catriona at her best with a 65 in Round

2 of Ricoh Women's British Open

NEWS RELEASE FROM L E T

By Bethan CUTLER, LET Media Manager

South Korea’s Mirim Lee followed her opening 62 with a 71 on the Marquess’ Course at Woburn Golf Club on Friday to keep her lead at the 40^th Ricoh Women’s British Open.

At 11-under-par, Lee leads by one over China’s Shanshan Feng and Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand. 

The world number 31 made a nervous start when she pulled her first tee shot slightly, but after that she quickly settled down and carded a pair of birdies on the fourth and seventh holes followed by a solitary bogey on 13 and another birdie on 17.

“I felt a little bit of nervousness but after a couple of holes I forgot about it. I think a little bit of nervousness is what makes you play well,” said Lee, who warmed up for this week’s Major championship with a visit to Buckingham Palace.

Feng, who almost missed her tee time on Thursday after rushing to the tee, fired five birdies in the first 10 holes of her second round to catch Lee on 11 under, but then bogeyed 12 and 14 before ending with a birdie on 18.

The first Major winner from mainland China in 2012, Feng said: “I started the round really hot today. I mean, I had four birdies in the first seven holes, and I was 5-under through ten. I made a couple bogeys maybe in the middle there, misjudging about the wind. But the birdie on the last hole made me really happy.”

Jutanugarn followed a 65 with a 69 containing four birdies and just one dropped shot. Looking for her first Major after one win on the LET in 2013 and three victories on the LPGA in May, she said: “I think I learned how to play under pressure, how to play, (so I’m) really excited,” adding that she smiles as part of her pre-shot routine to relax before every shot. 

Catriona Matthew, who will represent Team GB in the Rio Olympic Games in a fortnight, roared into contention with a seven-under-par 65 to sit at nine-under-par alongside South Korean Ha-Na Jang. 

Matthew said: “That's probably one of the best rounds I've played. I think I hit 18 greens today. Just one awful shot on 16 but then followed it probably with my best shot of the day, the 4-iron on to the green. Gave myself a lot of chances and holed my fair share of them today.”

At 46 years, 11 months and 6 days on Sunday, the 2009 champion is trying to become the oldest winner of a women’s Major and added: “If I can get in there in contention on Sunday, I'm sure it will be a fantastic atmosphere; the crowd were great today.”

The 2014 champion at Royal Birkdale, Mo Martin of the United States fired a second successive round of 68 for a halfway total of eight-under, followed closely by fellow American Stacy Lewis, who won the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open at St Andrews, on seven-under-par.

South Korea’s Sei Young Kim and the three-time championship winner Karrie Webb of Australia, who won at Woburn in 1995, both finished at six-under-par, followed by local player Charley Hull in a group at five-under.

After a pair of bogeys on the third and sixth holes, Hull rallied with five birdies in six holes from the seventh, but dropped a third shot at the 16^th in a second round of 70 to lie six shots off the pace. 
She said:  “I didn't get up-and-down a couple times today, just because I'm so used to this golf course playing so soft from the greens sometimes. So when I'm chipping, I'm pitching it way too far, even though I know it's bouncy, it's just in my head, because you're used to pitching at the pins. It's definitely good being in a good position going into the weekend.”  

A total of 75 players made the cut on one-over-par 145.
Scots Kylie Walker (78-73 for 151) and Pamela Pretswell (79-73 for 152) were eliminated.

The third round begins at 7.55am on Saturday. The leading pair of Lee and Feng will tee off at 2.25pm.
SCOREBOARD

	1			Mirim LEE	-11	14:25	-	62	71	-	-	133
[+]	T2		3		Shanshan FENG	-10	14:25	-	66	68	-	-	134
[+]	T2		2		Ariya JUTANUGARN	-10	14:15	-	65	69	-	-	134
[+]	T4		23		Catriona MATTHEW	-9	14:15	-	70	65	-	-	135
[+]	T4		6		Ha-Na JANG	-9	14:05	-	68	67	-	-	135
[+]	6		6		Mo MARTIN	-8	14:05	-	68	68	-	-	136
[+]	7		4		Stacy LEWIS	-7	13:55	-	67	70	-	-	137
[+]	T8		11		Karrie WEBB	-6	13:55	-	69	69	-	-	138
[+]	T8		11		Sei Young KIM	-6	13:45	-	69	69	-	-	138
[+]	T10		11		Charley HULL	-5	13:45	-	69	70	-	-	139
[+]	T10		46		Lexi THOMPSON	-5	13:35	-	72	67	-	-	139
[+]	T10		31		Ashleigh SIMON	-5	13:35	-	71	68	-	-	139
[+]	T10		6		Azahara MUNOZ	-5	13:25	-	68	71	-	-	139
[+]	T10		11		So Yeon RYU	-5	13:25	-	69	70	-	-	139
[+]	T15		11		Mika MIYAZATO	-4	13:15	-	69	71	-	-	140
[+]	T15		70		Kelly SHON	-4	13:15	-	73	67	-	-	140
[+]	T15		4		Mi Hyang LEE	-4	13:05	-	67	73	-	-	140
[+]	T15		23		Bronte LAW (AM)	-4	13:05	-	70	70	-	-	140
[+]	T15		46		Haru NOMURA	-4	12:55	-	72	68	-	-	140
[+]	T15		11		Teresa LU	-4	12:55	-	69	71	-	-	140
[+]	T15		6		Sarah-Jane SMITH	-4	12:45	-	68	72	-	-	140
[+]	T15		6		Alena SHARP	-4	12:45	-	68	72	-	-	140
[+]	T15		46		Nicole BROCH LARSEN	-4	12:35	-	72	68	-	-	140
[+]	T15		23		Camilla LENNARTH	-4	12:35	-	70	70	-	-	140
[+]	T25		31		Leona MAGUIRE (AM)	-3	12:25	-	71	70	-	-	141
[+]	T25		107		Chella CHOI	-3	12:25	-	75	66	-	-	141
[+]	T25		11		Beatriz RECARI	-3	12:15	-	69	72	-	-	141
[+]	T25		31		Alison LEE	-3	12:15	-	71	70	-	-	141
[+]	T25		11		Yani TSENG	-3	12:05	-	69	72	-	-	141
[+]	T25		31		Angela STANFORD	-3	12:05	-	71	70	-	-	141
[+]	T25		46		Gaby LOPEZ	-3	11:45	-	72	69	-	-	141
[+]	T25		46		Candie KUNG	-3	11:45	-	72	69	-	-	141
[+]	T33		70		Nanna Koerstz MADSEN	-2	11:35	-	73	69	-	-	142
[+]	T33		46		Melissa REID	-2	11:35	-	72	70	-	-	142
[+]	T33		31		Tiffany JOH	-2	11:25	-	71	71	-	-	142
[+]	T33		23		Jennifer SONG	-2	11:25	-	70	72	-	-	142
[+]	T33		31		Jodi EWART SHADOFF	-2	11:15	-	71	71	-	-	142
[+]	T33		70		Emily Kristine PEDERSEN	-2	11:15	-	73	69	-	-	142
[+]	T33		46		Sung Hyun PARK	-2	11:05	-	72	70	-	-	142
[+]	T33		31		Maude-Aimee LEBLANC	-2	11:05	-	71	71	-	-	142
[+]	T33		23		Beth ALLEN	-2	10:55	-	70	72	-	-	142
[+]	T33		70		Yukari NISHIYAMA	-2	10:55	-	73	69	-	-	142
[+]	T33		70		Karine ICHER	-2	10:45	-	73	69	-	-	142
[+]	T33		70		Lee-Anne PACE	-2	10:45	-	73	69	-	-	142
[+]	T33		31		Marina ALEX	-2	10:35	-	71	71	-	-	142
[+]	T33		11		I.K. KIM	-2	10:35	-	69	73	-	-	142
[+]	T47		46		Brittany LANG	-1	10:25	-	72	71	-	-	143
[+]	T47		31		Megan KHANG	-1	10:25	-	71	72	-	-	143
[+]	T47		46		Jiyai SHIN	-1	10:15	-	72	71	-	-	143
[+]	T47		31		Brooke M. HENDERSON	-1	10:15	-	71	72	-	-	143
[+]	T47		46		Anna NORDQVIST	-1	10:05	-	72	71	-	-	143
[+]	T47		46		Lizette SALAS	-1	10:05	-	72	71	-	-	143
[+]	T47		46		In Gee CHUN	-1	9:55	-	72	71	-	-	143
[+]	T47		46		Hee Kyung BAE	-1	9:55	-	72	71	-	-	143
[+]	T47		11		Maria PARRA (AM)	-1	9:35	-	69	74	-	-	143
[+]	T56		89		Lydia KO	E	9:35	-	74	70	-	-	144
[+]	T56		89		Carlota CIGANDA	E	9:25	-	74	70	-	-	144
[+]	T56		31		Brittany ALTOMARE	E	9:25	-	71	73	-	-	144
[+]	T56		23		Vicky HURST	E	9:15	-	70	74	-	-	144
[+]	T56		31		Minjee LEE	E	9:15	-	71	73	-	-	144
[+]	T56		89		Mi Jung HUR	E	9:05	-	74	70	-	-	144
[+]	T56		89		Eun-Hee JI	E	9:05	-	74	70	-	-	144
[+]	T63		23		Sandra GAL	+1	8:55	-	70	75	-	-	145
[+]	T63		46		Cristie KERR	+1	8:55	-	72	73	-	-	145
[+]	T63		11		Brittany LINCICOME	+1	8:45	-	69	76	-	-	145
[+]	T63		46		Ai SUZUKI	+1	8:45	-	72	73	-	-	145
[+]	T63		70		Gerina PILLER	+1	8:35	-	73	72	-	-	145
[+]	T63		123		Caroline MASSON	+1	8:35	-	76	69	-	-	145
[+]	T63		89		Christina Kim	+1	8:25	-	74	71	-	-	145
[+]	T63		89		Chloe LEURQUIN	+1	8:25	-	74	71	-	-	145
[+]	T63		46		Maria MCBRIDE	+1	8:15	-	72	73	-	-	145
[+]	T63		46		Marta SANZ BARRIO	+1	8:15	-	72	73	-	-	145
[+]	T63		11		Moriya JUTANUGARN	+1	8:05	-	69	76	-	-	145
[+]	T63		70		Su OH	+1	8:05	-	73	72	-	-	145
[+]	T63		89		Lina BOQVIST	+1	7:55	-	74	71	-	-	145
MISSED THE CUT
[+]	T76				Cydney CLANTON	+2	CUT	+2	72	74	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Danielle KANG	+2	CUT	-1	75	71	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Laetitia BECK	+2	CUT	+3	71	75	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Annie PARK	+2	CUT	+2	72	74	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Sakura YOKOMINE	+2	CUT	E	74	72	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Angel YIN	+2	CUT	+3	71	75	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Hannah O´SULLIVAN (AM)	+2	CUT	+4	70	76	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Marianne SKARPNORD	+2	CUT	-1	75	71	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Q BAEK	+2	CUT	-3	77	69	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Kim KAUFMAN	+2	CUT	+1	73	73	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Luna SOBRON (AM)	+2	CUT	+3	71	75	-	-	146
[+]	T76				Mina HARIGAE	+2	CUT	E	74	72	-	-	146
[+]	T88				Amy BOULDEN	+3	CUT	+3	72	75	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Pernilla LINDBERG	+3	CUT	+2	73	74	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Na Yeon CHOI	+3	CUT	+2	73	74	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Katie BURNETT	+3	CUT	E	75	72	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Nontaya SRISAWANG	+3	CUT	+1	74	73	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Wei Ling HSU	+3	CUT	+1	74	73	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Lydia HALL	+3	CUT	+2	73	74	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Isabella RAMSAY	+3	CUT	+3	72	75	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Suzann PETTERSEN	+3	CUT	+2	73	74	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Jessica KORDA	+3	CUT	E	75	72	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Jenny SHIN	+3	CUT	+2	73	74	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Lee LOPEZ	+3	CUT	-1	76	71	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Mariajo URIBE	+3	CUT	+1	74	73	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Sun Young YOO	+3	CUT	+1	74	73	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Ryann O TOOLE	+3	CUT	+3	72	75	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Il Hee LEE	+3	CUT	-1	76	71	-	-	147
[+]	T88				Paula RETO	+3	CUT	+2	73	74	-	-	147
[+]	T105				Julia ENGSTROM (AM)	+4	CUT	E	76	72	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Ai MIYAZATO	+4	CUT	+3	73	75	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Hee Young PARK	+4	CUT	+2	74	74	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Isabelle BOINEAU	+4	CUT	+4	72	76	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Momoko UEDA	+4	CUT	+1	75	73	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Felicity JOHNSON	+4	CUT	+4	72	76	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Becky MORGAN	+4	CUT	+2	74	74	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Xi Yu LIN	+4	CUT	-2	78	70	-	-	148
[+]	T105				Austin ERNST	+4	CUT	+1	75	73	-	-	148
[+]	T114				Paula CREAMER	+5	CUT	+1	76	73	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Linda WESSBERG	+5	CUT	E	77	72	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Michelle WIE	+5	CUT	+1	76	73	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Rebecca ARTIS	+5	CUT	+2	75	74	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Jacqui CONCOLINO	+5	CUT	+2	75	74	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Pornanong PHATLUM	+5	CUT	+3	74	75	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Caroline HEDWALL	+5	CUT	E	77	72	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Morgan PRESSEL	+5	CUT	E	77	72	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Olivia MEHAFFEY (AM)	+5	CUT	+2	75	74	-	-	149
[+]	T114				Liz YOUNG	+5	CUT	+4	73	76	-	-	149
[+]	T124				Aditi ASHOK	+6	CUT	-1	79	71	-	-	150
[+]	T124				Gwladys NOCERA	+6	CUT	+3	75	75	-	-	150
[+]	T124				Laura DAVIES	+6	CUT	+4	74	76	-	-	150
[+]	T124				Florentyna PARKER	+6	CUT	+2	76	74	-	-	150
[+]	T124				Noora TAMMINEN	+6	CUT	+1	77	73	-	-	150
[+]	T129				Holly CLYBURN	+7	CUT	+5	74	77	-	-	151
[+]	T129				Kylie WALKER	+7	CUT	+1	78	73	-	-	151
[+]	T129				Jing YAN	+7	CUT	+4	75	76	-	-	151
[+]	T132				Asuka KASHIWABARA	+8	CUT	+4	76	76	-	-	152
[+]	T132				Pamela PRETSWELL	+8	CUT	+1	79	73	-	-	152
[+]	T132				Brianna DO	+8	CUT	+5	75	77	-	-	152
[+]	T132				Kelly TAN	+8	CUT	+5	75	77	-	-	152
[+]	T132				Anne VAN DAM	+8	CUT	+4	76	76	-	-	152
[+]	T132				Cheyenne WOODS	+8	CUT	+7	73	79	-	-	152
[+]	138				Hyo-Joo KIM	+9	CUT	+6	75	78	-	-	153
[+]	T139				Amelia LEWIS	+10	CUT	+2	80	74	-	-	154
[+]	T139				Georgia HALL	+10	CUT	+5	77	77	-	-	154
[+]	T141				Charlotte ELLIS	+11	CUT	+8	75	80	-	-	155
[+]	T141				Stacey KEATING	+11	CUT	+5	78	77	-	-	155
[+]	143				Maha HADDIOUI	+12	CUT	+6	78	78	-	-	156
[+]	144				Nuria ITURRIOS	+13	CUT	+12	73	84	-	-	157