Patty Tavatanakit (-8) remains at the top of the leaderboard at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International after the second day. The Thai golfer has played today in much more difficult conditions, like all of the afternoon shift due to the wind. However, she has been able to deliver a card of 70 strokes that allows her to continue leading with two ahead of the Danish Nicole Broch Estrup (-6) and the Belgian Manon de Roey (-6), third last year in this same tournament, although it is being held on a different course.
Tavatanakit is delighted with the challenging conditions. She literally assures that her head is very much thinking in “la-la-la-la-la” during the rounds and that being focused by the difficulties of the wind allows her to be more concentrated and let her imagination fly less. Now, the next step must be to maintain that same intensity and commitment when the wind doesn’t blow so much. This weekend she will have an opportunity to demonstrate it, as two days of relative calm are expected.
Be that as it may, the star of the day is called Leona Maguire (-4). The Irish golfer, who yesterday made a fortune with a card of 76 strokes, has signed twelve fewer strokes today for a sensational result of 64. She has taken three strokes out of the next best card. Hers was a show, getting quite close to the perfect round. She has caught all the greens, has only missed three streets and has needed 29 putts. There were eight birdies without bogeys. She has matched the fourth best career result in both the LPGA Tour and the LET.
Maguire’s best rounds:
– 61 strokes (Evian Championship 2021, -10)
– 62 strokes (Pelican Championship 2021, -8)
– 63 strokes (CME Group Championship 2022, -9)
– Six rounds with today’s 64 strokes.
Leona has fully entered the fight for victory, just like Amy Yang, Paula Reto and Peiyun Chien, all with -4, as well as important players such as Charley Hull (-3), Alexa Pano (-3) Georgia Hall (-2), Emily Pedersen (-1), Caroline Hedwall (-1) or Ahsleigh Buhai (-1).
Carlota Ciganda (-1) is also in the mix. Seven strokes difference with the head may seem many, but with 36 holes ahead there is plenty of margin for the comeback. The Navarrese is in 17th place after delivering a par card of 72 strokes, with three birdies and three bogeys. She has not had the best day around the green. She missed four greens and only managed to recover once.
Be that as it may, Ciganda’s taste is bittersweet. Yes, she has made the cut, yes, she has a chance to win, but she would have liked to have taken better advantage of the more favourable conditions that were experienced at the Riyadh Golf Club in the morning, during her playing shift.
Carlota is left alone in the face of danger. She is the only Spaniard who has made the cut, finally set at +3. Ana Peláez (+4) and Marta Sanz (+4) were close, while María Hernández, Nuria Iturrioz and Carmen Alonso had no options. Among the most notable names who also missed the cut are Ariya Jutanugarn, Gemma Dryburgh, Aditi Ashok, Nanna Madsen or Bronte Law.
