Ruoning Yin is one shot off halfway lead and Lydia Ko is three back; Morgane Metraux holds halfway lead at Le Golf National; Georgia Hall sits tied-37th and Charley Hull shares 52nd spot; women's golf event finishes on Saturday in Paris
Thursday 8 August 2024 16:49, UK
Morgane Metraux leads at the halfway stage of the women's golf event at the Paris Olympics, as Lydia Ko moved into contention and Celine Boutier failed to build on her fast start.
Metraux threatened a history-making round when she made an eagle and four birdies in her first six holes at Le Golf National, with a further eagle at the par-five ninth seeing her reach the turn in 28.
The Swiss golfer dropped a shot at the par-four 13th and cancelled a birdie at the par-five next with a bogey at the 15th, before Metraux found water with her approach into the final green and carded a bogey to close a six-under 66.
Metraux is on eight under and a shot clear of former major champion Ruoning Yin, who charged up the leaderboard with a round-of-the-day 65, while Ko - a bronze medallist in Tokyo - is within three of the halfway lead after a second-round 67.
Pia Babnik and Mariajo Uribe are both in a share of fourth place, as Boutier - the home favourite who led by three shots after the opening day - fell five behind and into the group tied-sixth when she dropped five shots in a three-hole stretch on her way to a four-over 76.
"Definitely feel like I left a few shots out there," Boutier said. "Had a rough patch in the back and didn't really make as many birdie putts as I did yesterday. So definitely reflected in the score."
World No 1 Nelly Korda and compatriot Rose Zhang both carded 70s to sit on two under, with two-time major champion Lilia Vu a further shot behind, as Georgia Hall leads the British interest and is on four over after successive 74s.
Team GB's Charley Hull responded to an opening-round 81 by carding a one-under 71, where she dropped three shots over her final three holes, while Ireland's Leona Maguire sits tied-57th of the 60-player field after rounds of 78 and 79.
"I felt so much better out there today," Hull said. "I feel like I've dusted a few cobwebs off and I'm back at it, and looking forward to the AIG Women's Open."
After the Olympics, the LPGA Tour heads to Scotland for the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open from August 15-18 ahead of the AIG Women's Open the following week. They are the final two events in the Solheim Cup qualification campaign and both live on Sky Sports.
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