With rounds of 65 and 68, Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand posted a 36-hole total of nine-under-par at the Evian Championship on Saturday to take a three-stroke clubhouse lead as the overnight leader, Sung Hyun Park, slipped back to six-under-par with bogeys on the first and third holes.
Playing in beautiful, bright and sunny conditions, the sister of the former world number one, Ariya, started with a par at the 10th and then birdied the 11th, but dropped a shot at the long 13th. She made gains at the 15th and 17th to tie for the lead and then bogeyed the second, but quickly recovered with another birdie on the third, before adding another at the sixth.
She now has a chance to follow Ariya, the first Major winner from Thailand at last year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, by winning a Major, which would make them the first sisters to win golf Majors. It would be a fairy tale for the 5’1” Moriya, who is yet to win her first Tour title.
The only sisters so far whom have won on the LPGA Tour are the former world number one Annika Sorenstam, who won 89 titles, including 10 majors, around the world and Charlotta Sorenstam, who clinched the Standard Register PING in 2000.
In hot pursuit of Jutanugarn are In-Kyung Kim, the winner of this year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, Lydia Ko, Jennifer Song (65), Shanshan Feng (68) and Angela Stanford (68).
Georgia Hall, Suzann Pettersen, Mi Jung Hur and Anna Nordqvist are currently all inside the top 10 places.
There will be a cut to the leading 70 players and ties after the completion of the second round this evening, followed by the final round.
