Round two of the Aramco China Championship came to a close Friday morning with Dublin’s Lauren Walsh showing her season long form as the 25-year-old posted a bogey free seven-under par to take her to five-under after 36-holes to sit T25 heading into round three.
Walsh began her round with a birdie on the par-4 third hole before adding another at the par-5 sixth. Taking the turn at two-under, Walsh couldn’t put a foot wrong on the back nine.
Missing only one fairway and green in regulation, Walsh made five birdies in her final six-holes including three in a row on the 16th, 17th and 18th.
Walsh, who now sits 10th in the Order of Merit rankings, will be hoping for more of this form to come if she is to catch up and be amongst the top come Saturday.
It was disappointing end to Anna Foster’s weekend as the Elm Park member missed the two-under-par cutline.
Posting an even-par 73 on Thursday, Foster struggled on Friday making three bogeys and two birdies to post a one-over-par 74.
Foster struggled with her approach shots, missing five green in regulations as the 24-year-old crashed out of the tournament at one-over.
Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab holds a one stroke lead over the pack as the 2023 LET Order of Merit winner fired an eight-under-par round two to sit at 12-under.
Cheenglab dropped her only shot of the day on the 15th hole but then made her hole-out eagle on 17 and a birdie at the last to finish in style and hold a one-shot lead with one round remaining.
“I made two eagles today which I’m still shocked about! The eagle on 17 was better because we had a one-shot lead in the team and that made it more comfortable and relaxed. I’m very happy.”
Chinese duo Ruoning Yin and Ruixin Liu are in a share of second place at 11-under after they both fired rounds of 65 on day two.
Both players rolled in nine birdies and only dropped one shot on the World Cup Course, much to the delight of the home fans.
Four players are in a tie for fourth place with American Alison Lee, Thailand’s Pramphun, Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjäll and China’s Qianhui Lin all on nine-under-par.
One shot further back at eight-under and rounding out the top 10 are Wales’ Darcey Harry, Czechia’s Sara Kouskova and round one leader Moa Folke.
South Africa’s Casandra Alexander fired the round of the week posting a top class 10-under par 63 to move into T12 on six-under-par.
In the teamed event, Team Rhodes secured a four-stroke victory, winning with a score of 39-under-par. The quartet of Mimi Rhodes, Kristyna Napoleaova, Kultida Pramphun and single competition leader Trichat Cheenglab began the day in third place.
Round three will begin at 7:25am local time, with the leaders going out at 11:20am at Mission Hills China.
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