(Photo credit score: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
Hinako Shibuno of Japan carded a 4-under-par 68 on Friday to grab a two-stroke lead after the second spherical of the Women’s Scottish Open in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Shibuno adopted up a 64 on Thursday by accumulating 5 birdies and her first bogey of the occasion on Friday at Dundonald Links. She overcame three-putting on the primary gap to get again on monitor.
“Well, I think I did very well, so I was not thinking anything about it,” mentioned Shibuno, who has seven skilled wins of which six got here in Japan.
She has not gained an occasion since 2021.
Shibuno resides at 12-under 132 for the event, two pictures forward of Sweden’s Maja Stark (65 on Friday). Stark strung collectively eight birdies — together with 5 in a row on holes Nos. 12-16 — towards one bogey.
Frenchwoman Celine Boutier, who gained the ultimate main of the season final week on the Evian Championship, shot a 68 on Friday. She totaled six birdies — together with three straight on holes Nos. 3-5 — towards two bogeys on Friday to hitch Australian Sarah Kemp in a tie for third place at 7-under.
“Yeah, I feel like this morning was definitely a little bit less windy than yesterday. And I feel like I had a lot of birdie chances, more birdies than yesterday. So that was that pretty positive,” Boutier mentioned. “And, yeah, I feel like my game is in place. So I’m just hoping to keep going for the weekend.”
Kemp, who additionally recorded three straight birdies and 6 general on Friday, was happy together with her placing on Friday.
“Pretty sure I hit a lot of greens, and I definitely holed some putts,” she mentioned. “So I (was) joking with my caddie, the longest putt I holed final week I believe was like 15 or 16 toes, and I holed a 24-footer right this moment, so fairly pleased with that.
“But, yeah, just nice and solid, and, yeah, putted really well.”
Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, who was in second place after the primary spherical, completed her second spherical with a 73 on Friday. She sits at 5-under, one stroke forward of an eight-golfer contingent that features South Korean In Gee Chun (66).
Defending champion Ayaka Furue of Japan struggled in her second straight spherical. She adopted up a 74 on Thursday with a 73 on Friday to take a seat in a tie for sixty fifth at 3-over for the event.
–Field Level Media