Charley Hull and Lottie Woad both stand at two under par following the second round of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, placing them five shots behind the current leader, Ryu Hae-ran. The challenging conditions on the Lancashire coast featured gusty winds that tested the field’s precision and resilience.

Hull, aiming for her first major championship victory, posted a level-par 71 in her second round. The 30-year-old from Kettering overcame an early setback, missing a long putt that led to a bogey on the third hole. She recovered with a birdie on the sixth, after an impressive bunker shot left her with a straightforward putt. Another birdie came on the eighth, courtesy of a long-range putt. However, Hull then encountered difficulties on the 10th and 15th holes, both yielding bogeys. On the 17th, she once again found a bunker but holed her shot to secure a birdie and finish the day even par.

Woad showed promising form early in her round, reaching two under par by the turn. After a bogey on the second hole, strong driving helped her secure birdies on the third, sixth, and ninth. Yet, she was unable to capitalize on birdie opportunities on the 11th and 12th holes. A bogey on the 14th disrupted her momentum, and after finding a bunker on the 18th, she chipped out but took two putts, resulting in another bogey to close out her round at even par 71.

At the top of the leaderboard, Ryu Hae-ran of South Korea surged through the back nine after a slow start. The 25-year-old was two over par through her first five holes but rebounded with two birdies over the final four holes to card a three-under 69. Ryu is pursuing her third consecutive major title, having won the Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship earlier this season.

As the tournament progresses, both Hull and Woad remain in contention but will need strong performances in the remaining rounds to bridge the five-shot gap behind the in-form Ryu.