Lottie Woad and Charley Hull find themselves just five strokes behind the mid‑tournament leader at the AIG Women’s Open, while the surging Haeran Ryu has surged to the top of the leaderboard. Ryu, who is eyeing a historic third consecutive major title—a feat not achieved since Inbee Park—recovered from a three‑over‑par start after the first five holes to finish a two‑under‑par 69, highlighted by a streak of five birdies. This impressive round lifted her to seven under par, one stroke ahead of Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki, who posted a solid 70 to claim the early clubhouse lead.

Overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul trailed by another shot, with American Solheim Cup hopeful Yealimi Noh close behind. Both Woad and Hull were poised to challenge the outright lead but ultimately posted even‑par 71s, each carding two bogeys in the final five holes.

Hull’s round was a mix of highs and lows, yet she managed to stay at two under par heading into the weekend. World No. 1 Nelly Korda also remains in contention after improving her second‑round score to a 68, which moved her to one under and keeps her in the hunt for a third major of the season.

Defending champion Miyu Yamashita, however, missed the cut after a disappointing 77 that included a quadruple‑bogey. Hull admitted she had only about three hours of sleep before her round, but the English veteran—who has finished runner‑up in five majors—made an early move by erasing a bogey on the third hole with birdies on the sixth and eighth. Mistakes at the 10th and 15th holes caused her to slip back, but a spectacular chip‑in birdie on the par‑four 17th reignited her hopes of finally breaking through with a major victory.

"Really looking forward to it," Hull said about the upcoming weekend. "It’s going to be loads of fun.

I feel like now my nerves have settled down. Not too far back going into the weekend – better than I was last year!" Woad, who started her round in the afternoon, missed a chance to save par on the second hole but responded with three birdies over a four‑hole stretch beginning at the sixth. She remained within two strokes of the lead until a bogey on the 14th and a bunker mishap on the final par‑four dropped her back. "I think everyone knows any British player will want to win this event," Woad told Sky Sports.

"You can tell the crowd are pulling for you, but you can also sense when they are nervous. I am trying to ignore it as much as possible but use the support as a positive. Patience and discipline are very good.

Par is a pretty good out here, and I think I've been hitting it well approach‑play‑wise." Thitikul quickly lost the advantage she had held overnight after a bogey on the third hole, while Kuwaki, playing several groups ahead, launched a three‑birdie run starting at the fourth. The world No. 2, however, struggled on the greens throughout her 73‑stroke round.

Kuwaki’s round featured a blend of four birdies and three bogeys, and she seemed set to seize the outright lead until Ryu responded with three birdies over a four‑hole stretch beginning at the seventh, adding another on the par‑four 15th. Ryu capped her comeback with a 15‑foot birdie putt on the final hole, reinforcing her bid to become only the fifth player ever to capture three majors in a row.

Ryu was paired with Korda, the winner of the first two majors of the year, who birdied all three par‑fives and improved her total by five strokes from an opening‑round 73 to a 68. Also in the group were 2024 champion Lydia Ko, former major winner Celine Boutier, and England’s Mimi Rhodes, all sitting at one under par. Chiara Tamburlini, meanwhile, faces a tense wait regarding her Solheim Cup qualification after missing the cut. Team Europe’s eight automatic qualifiers will be announced on Sunday evening, followed by Anna Nordqvist’s captain’s picks on Monday afternoon, broadcast live on Sky Sports.

The Swedish veteran, who is eight strokes back, posted a one‑under 70 this week. Golf fans can continue to follow the AIG Women’s Open live on Sky Sports, with coverage extending through Saturday midday on Sky Sports Golf. For those interested in playing the sport themselves, the best rates are available for booking a round at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland.