It was another blustery day at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, but this time it wasn’t rain but wind that tested the field’s mettle.
After a wet start that delayed the first round, play resumed bright and early at 8:29 a.m., with Australia’s Minjee Lee holding steady at 5-under. But as the weather shifted, so did the leaderboard.
Lee, known for her steady hand under pressure, took her time adjusting to the challenging conditions.
She opened round two with seven straight pars, methodically navigating the gusts before finding her rhythm late in the round.
Birdies on the 16th and 17th holes signalled her comeback, and she carried that momentum into the front nine, adding two more birdies on holes 2 and 3.
A lone bogey on the par-4 7th was the only blemish on her scorecard as she finished with a two-stroke lead over her nearest competitors.
“I feel like I was playing really solid,” Lee said, reflecting on her round. “It was really windy out there, even more so than yesterday afternoon.
I just put myself in good positions when I made my birdies and tried to make the least amount of bogeys possible. So yeah, I think I’m doing pretty good out there.”
Not to be outdone, American Megan Khang matched her first-round performance with another impressive 4-under 68.
Khang showed off her short game, notching six birdies, including a spectacular chip-in on the par-5 3rd—the second time this week she’s pulled off that feat.
With only two bogeys marring her scorecard, Khang positioned herself right alongside Lee at the top of the leaderboard.
“Honestly, I’m really trying to have a lot of fun out there,” Khang said, grinning despite the challenging conditions.
“It’s not often I’m hitting a 7-iron to a 116 pin. But I’m really comfortable with my ball-striking right now.
Fortunately, I’ve been able to hit some good shots, trust myself, and make some long putts here and there.
Overall, I’m just trying to enjoy it and make the most of it because it’s tough out there.”
Close on their heels are three players just two shots back, including LPGA Tour winner Charley Hull, who bounced back from a T10 finish in the first round.
Hull recorded six birdies and an eagle on the 18th, though four bogeys kept her from closing the gap further.
Meanwhile, CPKC Women’s Open winner Lauren Coughlin is also in contention, seeking her fourth consecutive top-10 finish after a bogey-free round with three birdies.
Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko, a familiar face near the top, turned in a consistent performance with four birdies and one bogey, carding back-to-back 69s.
The top 10 includes Olympic silver medalist Esther Henseleit (T6), while defending champion Celine Boutier finds herself further down the leaderboard at T54 with a 4-over.
Unfortunately for the local fans, all the Scottish players in the field will miss the cut.
