FIFE, Scotland: Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand holds a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Women’s Scottish Open at Fife and put her success down to “just chilling”.
The 12-time LPGA winner carded a second-round 66 on Friday to reach nine under par for the tournament.
Thai amateur star Atthaya Thitikul is in a three-way tie for second place with Charley Hull of England and Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark.
Ariya, who lifted the Scottish Open trophy in 2018 at Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, shrugged off the windy conditions.
Her only bogey came at the par-four tenth, after birdies on the second and seventh. But after that setback, the 25-year-old rolled in five birdies in six holes from the 12th to the 17th.
“I still have so many things to work on, and to me, I just want to be chilling on the course because I know when I’m chilling on the course, everything is going to take care of itself,” she said.
“My whole life my dream was to win on a links course because I won in Woburn, played the British Open, but it’s not links. I felt like one time in my life, I want to win on a links and that’s what I did in 2018.”
Atthaya, who has little experience on links courses, was pleasantly surprised by her play. “I didn't even know how I could shoot under par today and yesterday,” the 18-year-old prodigy said on Friday. “It's a good round, I'll take it all.”
The three-time Ladies European Tour winner struggled at the start of Friday, recording bogeys at three of her first five holes. She responded with six birdies in the next 10 holes.
“I have to be patient today, not go really aggressive to the pin, just try to be safe,” she said. “And if you can make it, fine, but if not it's okay, and then you just go into the next hole and keep it up.”