Lottie Woad and Charley Hull found themselves five strokes shy of the halfway leader at the AIG Women’s Open, while the in‑form Haeran Ryu surged to the top of another major leaderboard. Ryu, who is eyeing a historic three‑peat that would make her the first player since Inbee Park to capture three majors in a row, clawed back from a three‑stroke deficit after the first five holes. She rattled off five birdies to finish a two‑under 69 at Royal Lytham & St Annes, a round that vaulted her to seven under par and placed her one shot ahead of Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki.

Kuwaki had set the early clubhouse benchmark with a solid 70, while overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul sat a further shot behind, joined by American Solheim Cup hopeful Yealimi Noh. Woad appeared poised to challenge for the outright lead, but a final‑round stretch of two bogeys in her last five holes left her with a level‑par 71. Hull recorded the identical score after another mixed‑performance round, meaning both English players headed into the weekend at two under.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda stayed firmly in the mix, improving to one under after a tidy 68 in the second round, keeping her within striking distance of Ryu’s lead.

Defending champion Miyu Yamashita, however, missed the cut after a disappointing 77 that featured a quadruple‑bogey. Hull admitted she had only about three hours of sleep before teeing off for her second round. The five‑time major runner‑up used that limited rest to her advantage, erasing a bogey on the third hole with birdies on the sixth and eighth. Unfortunately, mis‑hits on the 10th and 15th holes caused her to slip back, but a spectacular chip‑in birdie on the par‑four 17th rekindled hopes of finally breaking through at a major.

When asked about her weekend prospects, Hull said, “I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

I feel like my nerves have settled now. I’m not too far back heading into the weekend – better than I was last year!” Woad, who started her round in the afternoon, missed a short putt to save par on the second hole but then produced three birdies over a four‑hole stretch beginning at the sixth.

The world No. 5 stayed within two shots of the lead until a bogey on the 14th and a bunker mishap on the final par‑four added extra strokes. "Everyone knows a British player will want to win this event," Woad told Sky Sports.

"You can feel the crowd cheering for you, but you can also sense their nerves. I try to ignore it as much as possible and use the support positively. Patience and discipline are key. Par is a good target out here, and I think I’ve been hitting my approach shots well." Thitikul quickly surrendered her overnight advantage after a bogey on the third hole, while Kuwaki, playing ahead of several groups, launched into 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 was a roller‑coaster of four birdies and three bogeys, and she seemed set to claim the outright lead until Ryu responded with three birdies over a four‑hole stretch beginning on the seventh, followed by another on the par‑four 15th. Ryu sealed her comeback with a 15‑foot birdie putt on the final hole, reinforcing her bid to become only the fifth player in history to win three consecutive major titles.

Ryu was paired with Korda, who has already claimed the first two majors of the season. The American birdied all three par‑fives, improving her score by five strokes from a 73 in the opening round. Also in the group were 2024 champion Lydia Ko, former major winner Celine Boutier, and England’s Mimi Rhodes, all sitting at one under.

Meanwhile, Chiara Tamburlini faced a tense wait regarding her Solheim Cup qualification after missing the cut. Team Europe’s eight automatic qualifiers will be confirmed on Sunday evening, after which Anna Nordqvist will announce her captain’s picks on Monday afternoon live on Sky Sports.

The Swedish veteran, currently eight shots back, posted a one‑under 70 and will be looking to climb the leaderboard as the tournament progresses. Fans can continue to follow the AIG Women’s Open live on Sky Sports, with coverage extending through Saturday midday on Sky Sports Golf.

Those interested in playing the courses can compare rates and book a round at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland. The tournament remains a tightly contested battle, with Ryu’s surge, Korda’s consistency, and the determined efforts of Hull, Woad, and the rest of the field promising an exciting finish as the weekend unfolds.