After Michelle Wie, leader at -8 in the first round, it was the South Korean In-Kyung Kim who led with -11 total, Friday evening at the end of the second round. England's Georgia Hall and American Lexi Thompson (-9) tied for second. Good first half of the tournament for Karine Icher (2st at -21), but missed cut for Joanna Klatten (+4).
By Nathalie Vion
  • The Englishwoman Laura Davies - © Tristan Jones - Source: LET via Flickr

In-Kyung Kim, stronger than the torrential rain

Torrential rain… Torrential rain. South Korean In-Kyung Kim would complete her second round under a flood on Friday at Kingsbarns. Under these conditions, the card of 68 (-4) which allowed him to take the lead of the Ricoh Women's British Open with a total of -11 at the halfway point took on exceptional value.

Earlier in the day, the young Englishwoman Georgia Hall had done better with her card of 67. Enough to finish 2nd at -9, tied with the world number 2, the American Lexi Thomspson. But the conditions were mild at the time. It changes everything on a Scottish links battered by the spray of the North Sea!

Michelle Wie moved from 1st to 21st

Talk to Michelle Wie… The Hawaiian icon of American golf had yet created a sensation, Thursday in Fife, this locality which shelters the Kingsbarns Links.

Author of a record card of 64 for her first round, she had evolved on a sunny morning while her rivals in the afternoon wiped the weather and two stoppages for risk of thunderstorm. Reversal of the weather situation this Friday when Wie recorded a card of 76 this time, with double bogey on the 17th and bogey on the 18th.

Twelve more strokes than the day before. And a decline from 1st to 21st provisional place. There are rains that pay dearly.

Third cut missed for Jutanugarn

But Wie is not to be pitied. Less in any case than the Thai Ariya Jutanugarn, whose engine suddenly seized up at the beginning of summer 2017. With a card of 77, and a total of +4 after two laps, the one who was still world number 1 at mid-June misses its third straight cut in the Majors of the current season.

Twice in July, Jutanugarn had already been stopped early: at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and at the US Women's Open. Not easy. Especially since during this time, his little sister, Moriya Jutanugarn, takes care of the job: 9th to - 6 after the first two rounds of the British Open.

Icher 21st provisional, Klatten stops there

Among the eliminated on Friday at Kingsbarns, we also find the Norwegian Suzann Pettersen and the English Florentyna Parker, two of the pillars of the next European team of Solheim Cup, in mid-August in Des Moines (Iowa).

On the French side, Joanna Klatten (+4, like Jutanugarn) did not cross the cut either, after her cards of 75 and 73.

On the other hand, Karine Icher, while still developing her famous regular game (70 and 70) climbed from 33rd place to 21st. With a total of -4, seven strokes from the head, Icher remains well placed for a good performance.

Thompson, with the goal of world No.1

Who can stop In-Kyung Kim? The Korean, 21st in the world, is ready to fight against all the “torrential rains” in Scotland. She even explained that in the 20 years of playing golf tournaments, she has been able to verify that her game is still holding the rain very well. An asset that she knows she has in her.

If Kim were to win, it would be the third victory for a Calm Morning Country player in four Majors this year, with Sei Young Kim winning the Ana Inspiration and Sung Hyun Park winning the US Women's Open.

It is undoubtedly Lexi Thompson, 2nd two strokes away from Kim, who has the keys in hand to stop the South Koreans. And maybe compete with Sei Young Kim for the world number 1 spot.

To follow also another American, Mo Martin, winner of the British Open in 2014 and who we saw point 5th to -7 after two laps….