A second round rally from world No.5 Minjee Lee failed to materialise at the Australian Open as 2013 champion and former world No.i Jiyai Shin showed all her class to take the lead in Sydney.
Teenage amatuer Rachel Lee matched birdies with bogeys after her stunning opening but will still have a late Saturday tee time for moving day with defending champion Ashleigh Buhai from South Africa also well poised to go back-to-back.
Korean Shin, a two-time major champion, was near-flawless on Friday, registering just a single bogey among five birdies in her round of four-under 68 as he took a two-shot lead over Buhai who sizzled in the morning session.
Buahi, who snared last year’s title at the Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne, added a second round of three-under 70 to her opening 68 to get to seven-under for the tournament and looms as a ket player again.
BUt amid expectations of a climb up the leaderboard after a steady opening, Minjee Lee faltered badly on the greens, missing makeable birdie putts and some errant iron play resulted in four bogeys and a three-over par round of 75 which left her at one-under for the tournament, .. shots behind Shin.
Minjee failed to catch fire at any stage, unlike her brother Min Woo who stormed to the top of the men’s leaderboard at the dual-gender event, and has plenty of ground to make up if she’s to seize her first Australian Open crown.
Buhai, who played at The Lakes on Friday, thought she was getting the “easier” course but will take a lot of confidence in to the final two rounds, both being played at The Australian where she opened her tournament.
“It’s weird. I thought this one would be easier today, but I still made some mistakes, just cut too many corners,” she said.
“I mean, there were only two front pins on the whole golf course so you really have to get all the way back. I don’t know, it’s hard to say.
“But I’m feeling good so far this week. I’ve taken it easy I think, I’m staying with family so kind of when I go back, completely switch off. I’ve got my niece and nephew running around and it’s just been a fun week and I’m happy.”
AUSTRALIAN OPEN LEADERBOARD
(Australian unless stated)
10-under – Jiyai Sin (Kor)
7-under – Ashleigh Buhai (Sth Af)
6-under – Jenny Shin (Kor)
5-under – Rachel Lee (a)
