Women's British Open 2019: second round – as it happened

Ashleigh Buhai takes a three-shot lead over the exciting prodigy Hinako Shibuno into the weekend, as Bronte Law, Charley Hull and defending champion Georgia Hall lead the home charge

9.04pm BST

Related: Bronte Law and Georgia Hall join English run on Women’s British Open

7.04pm BST

Update! Update! And so it was a downbeat end to the round for Caroline Masson, who bogeyed the last hole. A 68, though, and she heads into the weekend at -7. But Ashleigh Buhai made two further birdies, at 15 and 16, coming home in 32 shots. A splendid 67 to go alongside her opening salvo of 65. That’s given the top of the leaderboard a dramatically different look. All set for Moving Day tomorrow. We’ll be here at midday. Hope to see you then!

-12: Buhai
-9: Shibuno
-8: Salas
-7: Law, Boutier, SH Park, Hull, Masson
-6: A Jutanugarn, Hall, JY Ko, Ciganda, Kang

6.01pm BST

This is the point where the television coverage comes to an abrupt halt. It’s highly irritating to leave it here, with both Ashleigh Buhai and Caroline Masson yet to complete their rounds. But we promise to keep you updated, once we know how it all comes down. Thanks for reading, though, and we hope to see you all here tomorrow for Moving Day.

-10: Buhai (13)
-9: Shibuno
-8: Salas, Masson (17)
-7: Law, Boutier, S Park, Hull
-6: A Jutanugarn, Hall, J Ko, Ciganda, D Kang
-5: Lee6, N Korda, Alex, M Lee

5.48pm BST

Moriya Jutanugarn has kept her slim hopes alive. Just. She started poorly today, with bogeys at 3 and 4. Things got much worse later, with a double-bogey seven at 11. But running repairs to her round were made at 15 and 16. A couple of birdies that limited today’s damage to 74. She’s -3, though the wise Jutanugarn cash will go on her sister Ariya, who is three shots better off at the halfway mark.

5.43pm BST

Ashleigh Buhai becomes the first player to reach double digits this week! She rolls in a perfectly paced 30-footer from the front fringe at 13, and the 30-year-old South African takes sole ownership of the lead! Buhai is looking to become only the second South African to win a women’s major, after 1980 PGA and 1988 du Maurier Classic winner Sally Little. But Little never played in the British Open, so Buhai would be breaking new ground. A lot of golf to play yet, of course.

-10: Buhai (13)
-9: Shibuno (F)
-8: Salas (F), Masson (15)

5.37pm BST

The 18th green is absolutely covered in flies. The buggers are everywhere! One of the benefits of not bothering with the high-definition channels, right here. It’s like some sort of low-rent horror movie. Kang is nevertheless able to navigate her ball through the sea of insects and lag it up to kick-in distance. It’s a closing bogey, all down to the poor drive. Still, she’s signing for a 72 that keeps her at -6 after yesterday’s 66.

-9: Shibuno (F), Buhai (12)
-8: Salas (F), Masson (15)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (F), S Park (F), Hull (F)
-6: A Jutanugarn (F), Hall (F), J Ko (F), Ciganda (F)

5.31pm BST

A huge break for Ashleigh Buhai on 13. Her ball snagged halfway down the bank in thick rough, one bounce shy of leaping into all sorts of forest-based bother. She’s able to take a crack for the green. A slight mishit means she’s just shy of the dancefloor, but nevertheless she’s got a great chance to get up and down to save her par.

5.29pm BST

Bounce-back birdie for Caroline Masson on the par-five 15th. Two shots to the front, a chip up to a couple of feet, and in goes the putt. Textbook. She’s -8 again. Meanwhile on 18, Danielle Kang takes her medicine and chips back out onto the fairway from the forest. There was no point whatsoever going for a spectacular escape there. But she’s up against it now, and pressure causes her to pull her third. She finds the green, but it’s an awfully long putt for par. She’ll certainly not want to be walking off having made double. She’s far from happy.

5.24pm BST

Buhai is wild off the tee again. This one bounds off down a bank to the left of 13. There could be some serious trouble there. Bother for Kang on 18, too. Spooked by her short birdie miss on 17, she sends a big hook into the trees on the left. Up on the green, Lexi Thompson nearly rakes in a long birdie putt. But it’s a par that ensures her 70 is blemish-free. She’s -3 and the brilliant American is not out of this by a long chalk.

5.20pm BST

Danielle Kang very nearly aces 17, sending her hybrid fizzing towards the flag. But it slips by the lip, and ends up five feet past. Still a great birdie opportunity, but she pulls her Scotty Cameron and a marvellous chance turns apologetically to the left. She remains at -7. Meanwhile Ashleigh Buhai looks to be in serious trouble on 12, having flayed her tee shot into the trees wide right. No matter! Buhai whips a glorious iron back out, across the water guarding the front of the green, and pin high to 12 feet! That’s one of the shots of the week ... though she can’t covert it to birdie, the putt dying lamely on the right. No sole ownership of the lead, then. She stays at -9.

5.15pm BST

Charley Hull joins her compatriot Bronte Law at -7 after a two-putt par on 18 from the fringe. A 70 to go alongside yesterday’s fine 67. Woburn’s finest looks a little disappointed, but will surely perk up on reflection: she’s well placed going into the weekend, and recovered valiantly after a mid-round wobble.

5.12pm BST

Shanshan Feng, a runner up last week at the Evian, won’t be here this weekend. But the 2012 PGA champion goes out with a bang, sending a tramliner into the cup for birdie on 18. A round of 71, but after yesterday’s tired 75 she’s taken at least one shot too many at +2. Bogey for this year’s PGA champ, Hannah Green, but she signs for a 71 and at level par will make the cut.

5.06pm BST

Ashleigh Buhai joins Hinako Shibuno at the top! Her second birdie of another very steady day, this time at the par-five 11th. Trouble for Caroline Masson at 14, though. She mishits her tee shot terribly, the ball dunking into the bunker guarding the front right of the green. She can only bash her ball out to 25 feet, and the effort to save par is always dying right and short. Bogey, and she’s back down to -7.

-9: Shibuno (F), Buhai (11)
-8: Salas (F)

5.03pm BST

There was a par for Minjee Lee, as well. The Aussie signs for a 68 that could have been even better hand her flat stick been really working. She’s -5. But a closing bogey for Anna Nordqvist, the result of sending her drive behind a tree on the right. She slips back to -3 after a second round of 69.

5.01pm BST

A garden-variety par for Hinako Shibuno up 18. Beaming to the last! She’s really enjoying herself, seemingly unencumbered by the pressure of leading a major golf tournament on debut. Her 69 goes alongside yesterday’s 66, and she is going to provide so much entertainment over the weekend. What a player Japan have on their hands here. She’s performed quite brilliantly. Some quite frankly audacious approaches. A phalanx of photographers trail after her, dazzled by her obvious star quality. What a story it would be if she won this title! She’s -9 going into the weekend.

4.56pm BST

Charley Hull’s tee shot at 17 flies wide right. She’s stuck atop a grassy knoll, from where there’s no easy chip down. She opens the face of her wedge wide, Mickelsons a long swing, and sends her ball landing softly six feet from the cup. That’s a lovely touch from where she had found herself. In goes the par saver ... just, but they all count. She stays put at -7. She’s done extremely well to get her round back on track after that wobble midway through the back nine.

4.53pm BST

A third birdie in four holes for Caroline Masson! Her second into 13 isn’t particularly close, but that putter is hot and she guides a 30-foot right-to-left slider into the cup. The 30-year-old German is one off the lead. I’ll drink to that.

4.51pm BST

Ewan Murray’s at Woburn. Here’s his take on England’s dreaming.

Related: Bronte Law and Georgia Hall join English run on Women’s British Open

4.47pm BST

Par for Park Sung-hyun on 18. The world number two signs for a 70. She doesn’t look in total control of her game - nothing’s quite functioning to full effect - and yet she’s just two off the lead. If she relocates her mojo, she could be hard to stop this weekend ... though it’s possible that her final-day misery last week at the Evian may play on her mind should she find herself within striking distance of victory again.

4.44pm BST

Shibuno splashes out delicately to six feet. The par putt’s missable, with a big left-to-right curl despite the short distance. But it’s judged to perfection. In it goes, and she remains a shot in the lead at -9. Par for Minjee Lee, who stays at -5. But Anna Nordqvist races in a 30-foot birdie effort and suddenly the Swede is right in this at -4.

4.41pm BST

Caroline Masson hasn’t done anything of note in the majors this year. But she’s got a tie for third in the British Open on her CV - a couple of years ago at Kingsbarns - and is looking good for another tilt at the title this year. Birdies at 10 and 12 have suddenly catapulted her up to a tie for fourth at -7. Meanwhile a huge break for Charley Hull on 16. Her drive lands in thick rough on the left. That could be tricky. But she’d be standing on a water sprinkler, and so it’s a free drop. And she can drop on the shorter stuff. But you’ve got to take advantage of your breaks, and she sends her second to 15 feet and knocks in the putt. She’s followed back-to-back bogeys with back-to-back birdies! She’s -7 again.

4.36pm BST

Minjee Lee made birdie at 16 too. A fine approach knocked to eight feet, only made to look ordinary by Shibuno’s antics. So she’s finally up to -5. She then swishes her tee shot at 17 pin high, though it’ll be a long putt across. Shibuno gives her effort too much welly, and she’s in the bunker at the back of the green, a good lie but shortsided.

4.32pm BST

Hinako Shibuno continues to wow the crowds. She clatters a huge drive down the middle of 16, then wedges to four feet. It’s a sensational approach, but she’s not minded to stand about admiring her own work. Instead, she again breaks into a run in order to pick up her divot and replace it. This sort of role-model behaviour will endear her to greenkeeping staff up and down the land. Her play isn’t half bad either. In goes the putt - though only just, she nearly tugs it left but the hole snatches the ball just in time - and she laughs out loud at her effort. She’s leading the British Open on debut!

-9: Shibuno (16)
-8: Salas (F), Buhai (9)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (F), S Park (17), D Kang (14)

4.24pm BST

Before Hull putts, she gets a read off Hannah Green, who makes a birdie putt from a similar spot. That birdie brings the PGA champion up to level par, and may go a long way to her surviving the cut. Having gone to school, Hull makes no mistake. She threatened to throw away a great chance of picking up a shot, but having got the job done in the end, will be feeling a lot better about herself suddenly. She’s -6 again, just a couple off the lead.

4.22pm BST

Hull can’t quite make it to the green with her fairway wood. And then she chips up weakly, leaving herself a ten-footer for birdie. She looks agitated right now. This is a big birdie putt coming up. It could do so much to alter the mood music.

4.16pm BST

Ahead of Hull, Minjee Lee has taken three textbook shots down 15 to set herself up with a three-foot birdie putt. She yips it. What a waste. Great frustration washes across her face as she remains stuck at -4.

4.14pm BST

Hull is fuming at her recent profligacy. She swings so hard at her drive on the par-five 15th that she nearly takes her own head off with the follow-through. What a swing. Brooke Hendersonesque. Anyway, she’s pearled that one a long way, and will be able to go for the green in two. (There hasn’t been much of that yet this week, though the tees should move forward tomorrow in the hope of a bit more risk-reward eagle-chasing action.)

4.06pm BST

The gods of golf didn’t gift Marina Alex a birthday hole-in-one at 8. But a solid round isn’t a bad consolation prize. She’s just made her third birdie of the day, following up ones at 2 and 8 with the latest at the par-five 15th. She’s -6. Meanwhile Ashleigh Buhai misses a six-foot birdie putt on 7 that would have given her sole ownership of the lead at -9. And Charley Hull walks off 14 with a face like thunder, as she fails to get up and down from a bank to the right of the green. A very average chip up followed by a poor putt from six feet, and that’s back-to-back bogeys. She slips to -5 and the Woburn crowd fall silent as they watch one of their most famous members struggle.

3.56pm BST

Shibuno’s right up against the lip of the bunker, but she manages to whip it out to 12 feet. A decent result from there. But it’s a testing putt that remains. No problem, though! After being made to wait for some time as the group behind play up, she slides the par saver, gently moving right to left, into the hole. She remains -8. Par too for her playing partners Minjee Lee - the Aussie trucking along nicely after birdies at 2, 4 and 13 - and Anna Nordqvist, the two-time major-winning Swede consolidating birdies at 9, 11 and 12. Lee is -4, Nordqvist a shot behind at -3.

3.47pm BST

Charley Hull is never quite in position on 13. She eventually misses a six-footer to save her par, and slips back to -6. Meanwhile Hinako Shibuno shoves her hybrid into a bunker front right of the par-three 14th. She’ll have her work cut out to get up and down from the deep trap to save her par.

-8: Salas (F), Shibuno (13), Buhai (6)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (F), S Park (14)
-6: A Jutanugarn (F), Hall (F), J Ko (F), Ciganda (F), Hull (13), D Kang (11)
-5: Lee6 (F), N Korda (F), Alex (14), Masson (9)

3.42pm BST

Thanks John. And I’m back in good time to see Park Sung-hyun scramble an unlikely par at 14. She misses the green on the left, then overhits her chip. Admittedly the ball briefly threatens to drop for birdie, but it just misses and sails a good 15 feet past. That’s clumsy. But she nails the putt coming back, and remains at -7. That’s her second big save of the day, after chipping in from the side of 9. She’s not quite on her game today, but scrapping to stay in contention nonetheless.

3.34pm BST

Nordqvist plays a putt off the edge of the green and it rather runs away with itself. She is not confident with her pitching shots and that lack of confidence betrays her. Her par putt is lengthy, and she takes her time. It was worth her time, and two wayward shots were rescued by a decent holding of the nerve. Hibuno settled for par, another well won. Minjee Lee, the final member of that trio, pulled off a birdie on that 13th hole, and is up to -4.

And it’s time to hand back to the maestro himself, Scott Murray.

3.28pm BST

Shibuno was indeed in a bit of lumber. For her second shot, she has to address the ball around the tree and almost lands a beauty. Just a little more gas and that would have been beautiful. Nordqvist’s shot, from a far better position, was far worse but both are off the green. Looks like the Swede topped that one a little. Buhai stays on -8 as she misses a birdie putt on the sixth. Charley Hull meanwhile, will not be joining that trio on -8. Her birdie attempt comes up just short, and she knew that from the moment she hit it.

3.22pm BST

Kang looks somewhat dismayed as she has to settle for a par five on the tenth. Hibuno’s drive on 13th may well have hit trouble, while Nordqvist, her partner, is able to land a far better lie. The Swede looks in control of her game while Hibuno is playing with the confidence to ride out any slight rick.

3.17pm BST

Shibuno’s attempt for birdie on the 12th swings this way and that on that riddle of a green but it falls short. A par is settled for. Charley Hull on the 12th plays a decent, safe three-wood to the centre of the fairway. Anna Nordqvist, meanwhile, has gone birdie, birdie, to go to -3 and the second of those owed much to a lovely approach shot on the 11th.

3.13pm BST

Buhai shoots for the moon, well, the lead, on the fifth but the shot to the green left her too much to do. She will stay on the -8 grouping. The same goes for Hull, who has to settle for that five on 11. Kang’s shot to the green on the tenth again is not quite close enough to the green to give her a chance to join the -8 grouping.

3.07pm BST

Danielle Kang is just one shot off the lead now, having birdied the eighth. It is very tight at the top. One of those co-leaders on -8, Ashleigh Buhai, has just played a shot to the fourth that she looks a little disappointed with. Charley Hull, meanwhile, on the 11th, plays a decent chip on the par five. A birdie looks beyond her ken, though. She has a long putt to make a four.

3.02pm BST

It’s impossible not to fall for Hinako Shibuno. She sends her second into 10 to ten feet, taking up a divot half the size of Buckinghamshire as she does so. She then runs to her caddie, who has picked it up, and takes it off him before going to replace it. There are some professional players who can’t even be bothered to shout fore. Shibuno is happy to get her hands dirty with on-course maintenance. She misses the resulting birdie putt, but that’s not really the point. She’s great fun, full of infectious energy.

And with that, I’m off to dig into a huge bowl of Hamburger Helper, the only food-flavored processed foodstuff to be marketed by a talking golf glove. Not sure the tagline of this commercial would fly today; nevertheless, out-of-date gender stereotyping never tasted so good. John Brewin will be your guide for the next 30 minutes or so. Enjoy!

2.48pm BST

Park Sung-hyun doesn’t like 11 at all. She bogeyed it yesterday, and does so again today. She can’t get up and down from the back, following up that thinned bunker shot with a duffed chip. Her second attempt is much better, to six feet, and she knocks in the putt to limit the damage to a single shot. But she’s no longer in the lead; she’s -7. She’s now alongside Danielle Kang, who is moving in a positive direction after back-to-back birdies at 7 and 8.

-8: Salas (F), Shibuno (10), Buhai (2)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (F), S Park (11), Hull (9), D Kang (8)

2.44pm BST

“A disappointing day for Megan Khang, but she’s got game,” argues Lucy Wesson. “She’s been threatening for a while and with two top-ten finishes in the last two majors, I’m not counting her out. She will bounce back this weekend! She’ll break out with some wins, sooner rather than later, I sincerely hope. And I have a great feeling we will see her in Scotland for the Solheim! Thank you again for the excellent coverage. No Masson references yet today?” Ah, no. Well, namesake Caroline’s not long out, you see. But she has just birdied 4 to rise to -4. She’s really jolly good.

2.38pm BST

Trouble for Park Sung-hyun at the par-five 11th. Her second shot squirts into sand, a good distance from the green. Long bunker shots can put the fear of God into the best of them, and the former world number one skulls it, sending her ball flying hysterically over the green. She’ll have a testing up and down from the back if she’s to save her par.

2.35pm BST

Birdie for Ashleigh Buhai at 2. She joins the leading group at -8, taking the place of Charley Hull, who sends her second shot at 9 into a deep greenside bunker, from where she fails to get up and down. She gives it a damn good go, mind you, powering out to 20 feet, about as good as she could manage, and nearly making the long par saver. It stopped right on the lip. But it’s her first bogey of the week, and she slips back to -7.

2.29pm BST

Last year’s runner-up Pornanong Phatlum faces a tense few hours waiting to see whether she’ll be here for the weekend. She’s followed up a 73 with an equally average 72, and at +1 is currently going home. The projected cut is par ... ah hold on, it’s just shifted to +1. Right now, she’ll be teeing it up tomorrow. Well, that amply illustrates the sort of afternoon Phatlum is going to have, doesn’t it. Meanwhile the 2017 champion IK Kim opened her round today with bogey, but has bounced back with birdies at 7 and now 11. She’s -4.

2.23pm BST

... Park Sung-hyun knocks her approach at 10 to six feet, and rolls in the straight putt to take a four-way share of the lead. This is some leaderboard already!

-8: Salas (F), S Park (10), Shibuno (8), Hull (8)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (F), Buhai (1)

2.21pm BST

Megan Khang ends with par and a 74. An off day for the young American, but she far from out of this yet. She goes into the weekend at -3. Meanwhile the overnight leader is out, and Ashleigh Buhai very nearly opens with a birdie. But her 20-foot putt stops a shade short. She remains at -7, one behind Salas, Shibuno ... and home favourite Charley Hull, who sends a fine tee shot at 8 over the flag, and smoothly holes the eight footer coming back. Updated leaderboard in a minute, because ...

2.10pm BST

Shibuno’s smile continues to shine across Woburn, even if the sun’s disappeared momentarily behind the clouds. She lashes her iron at the par-three 8th straight at the flag, but it stops on the bank running across the green, 15 feet short of the cup. She very nearly teases in a big right-to-left breaker, but it stops a dimple shy. So close to taking the outright lead. Instead, she remains at -8, alongside the clubhouse leader Salas.

-8: Salas (F), Shibuno (8)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (F), S Park (9), Hull (7), Buhai
-6: A Jutanugarn (F), Hall (F), J Ko (F), Ciganda (F)
-5: Lee6 (F), N Korda (F), Alex (9), Kang (5)

2.06pm BST

Park Sung-hyun looks to be in a bit of trouble at 9, wedging her fourth shot from the fringe. But she bundles the chip into the empty hole, the ball hitting the lip, leaping up and then disappearing down. An absurd par, and she turns in 34, -7 for the tournament. Park usually cuts an inscrutable figure, but here she allows herself a cheeky grin as she hands her club back to her caddie. Park has the biggest fan-base of pretty much any player on the tour, and there’s plenty of screaming as she holes that chip.

2.00pm BST

On another day of low scoring, there aren’t many players going backwards. It’s been a difficult day for Megan Khang, though. She opened this morning with bogeys at 1, 6 and 7, out in 39, and though she’s since birdied 15, she’s slipped to -3 today. And Moriya Jutanugarn has started slowly after yesterday’s 67, dropping strokes at 3 and 4 to immediately clatter back to -3.

1.53pm BST

Hinako Shibuno is so much fun to watch. She sends her second at the par-five 7th into a patch of parched rough way to the right of the fairway, halfway down a bank. The ball well below her feet. No matter. No stress. She simply wedges out gently from 100 yards to eight feet. That’s just obscenely good. And she smiles her infectious smile again, enjoying every second of her maiden appearance at a major. The gallery seem to be enjoying her antics too, and there’s a loud groan of disappointment as the birdie putt sails by on the right.

1.46pm BST

Marina Alex only has one top-ten finish in the majors. A tie for ninth at this event back in 2014. The 29-year-old from New Jersey is enjoying her visit to Britain again this week. She came back in 33 yesterday on her way to a fine opening round of 69. It’s her birthday today, and she nearly awards herself the perfect present on the 163-yard par-three 8th. A long iron crashed straight at the flag, the ball bouncing, checking, then rolling serenely towards the cup. The ball stops an inch to the right of the cup. Another roll and it was turning in. A hole-in-one’s not to be, but she’ll tap the shortest putt in for birdie and move to -5.

1.37pm BST

Poor Lydia Ko is struggling badly right now. Ko won the 2015 Evain as an 18-year-old whirlwind, shooting 63 on the final day and becoming the youngest woman of all time to win a major title. Only Young Tom Morris, the 17-year-old winner of the 1868 Open, beats the Seoul-born New Zealander’s record. She then followed it up with victory at the ANA Inspiration the following season. A long period of Sorenstamesque domination looked on the cards. But nothing’s ever certain in golf. No majors since, and she’s been well off the pace this year, her long game in particular giving her gyp. She shot 76 yesterday, and today followed that up with a miserable 80. At +12, she’s rock bottom of the standings as things stand. Just as well it’s the end of the majors season; time to go away and regroup. She’ll be back.

1.28pm BST

Par for Celine Boutier at the last. The 25-year-old from France, who performed so well at the US Open before stumbling on the Sunday, gets up and down from a tight lie to the right of the green, like Georgia Hall before her. She signs for a 66 and goes into the weekend at -7, just one off clubhouse leader Lizette Salas’s lead.

1.24pm BST

Hinako Shibuno continues to smile broadly. Her approach at 5 clatters the flagstick, and she knocks in a birdie putt from four feet. She’s back into a share of the lead with Lizette Salas at -8. What a fine bounce-back birdie after an egregious three-putt at the last. She’s clearly enjoying competing in her first major championship. Indeed, it’s her first tournament on the LPGA tour. It’s some debut, whatever happens from here on in.

1.20pm BST

The recently deposed world number one, Park Sung-hyun, pings her tee shot at 6 to 12 feet, and rolls in the putt for her second birdie of the day. She’s -7. And so is Charley Hull, who guides a downhill 20-footer into the cup at 4 for her second birdie of the afternoon. It’s getting crowded at the top.

-8: Salas (F)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (17), SH Park (6), Shibuno (4), Hull (5), Buhai

1.14pm BST

Carlota Ciganda posts yet another good round in a major. A 69, and it would have been one stroke better had her snaky 30-foot birdie effort on 18 taken one more turn. A fine tilt nevertheless. She’s -6. Her quest to become Spain’s first major winner will continue this weekend.

1.08pm BST

Shibuno can’t keep it going forever. Her second into 4 is very nice indeed, straight at the flag, 15 feet shy. But her birdie putt is strangely dreadful, only making it halfway to the hole, and way off line too. A real head-scratcher. And it costs her a shot, as she can’t make the par putt. She slips out of the lead, back to -7, but still leaves the scene of the crime with a smile and a sunny disposition.

1.03pm BST

Back-to-back birdies for the relentless Hinako Shibuno! She follows the one at 2 by wedging to eight feet at 3 and cleaning up. That’s nine birdies in her last 14 holes! She grabs a share of the lead at -8 with Lizette Salas, who pars the final hole and signs for a blemish-free 67.

-8: Salas (F), Shibuno (3)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (16), Buhai
-6: A Jutanugarn (F), Hall (F), JY Ko (F), Ciganda (17), SH Park (4), Hull (3), Kang (1)

12.58pm BST

“Shit!” Charley Hull can eff and jeff with the best of them, and here she is, forcing Sky Sports into one of their preposterous apologies, we’re all adults, as she critiques her second into 2. It’s wide right of the green. But she’s able to get up and down from a grassy knoll, thanks to a gorgeous chip, and the early birdie takes her up to -6.

12.49pm BST

Ko Jin-young sends her second at 18 into the deep bunker guarding the front right of the green. Her splash out isn’t all that great; way too much sand, and she’s well short of the cup. But you don’t get to be world number one and a two-time major winner without moxie, and she rolls in the 25-foot left-to-right slider to save her par. That could be huge come the end of the week. A 70 today and she’s -6. Meanwhile par for Nelly Korda and that’s a 69. She’s -5.

-8: Salas (17)
-7: Law (F), Boutier (15), Shibuno (2), Buhai
-6: A Jutanugarn (F), Hall (F), JY Ko (F), Ciganda (15), SH Park (4), Kang

12.44pm BST

Hinako Shibuno came back in 30 strokes yesterday on her major-championship debut. The 20-year-old from Japan doesn’t seem fazed by the step up at all, though that shouldn’t be such a huge surprise as she comes with rave notices from those in the know on her home tour. Birdie at 2, and she keeps that upward momentum going. She’s -7. Meanwhile Celine Boutier lands a full wedge over the flag at the par-five 15th. The ball grips, spins back, rolls over her own pitch mark, and into the cup! Eagle! She’s suddenly -7 and right in this tournament now.

12.34pm BST

Ko Jin-young is looking to win two majors in eight days, and three in a four months. This season’s ANA Inspiration and Evian Championship winner knocks her tee shot at 17 to 12 feet, then nails the putt to move into a share of fourth at -6. If she hadn’t double bogeyed 14 yesterday, with that ludicrous four-putt, she’d be sharing the lead right now with Lizette Salas. Worth remembering that four-putts needn’t be the end of the world: Phil Mickelson won the 2013 Open after taking four putts on the par-three 16th at Muirfield on the Friday.

12.28pm BST

A 69 for Georgia Hall, who gets up and down from the side of 18 for her par, after pushing her second towards the stand on the right. That could be so important for her title defence, because a bogey-bogey finish would have seriously deflated her. She goes into the weekend at -6. Meanwhile a one-under round of 71 for Brooke Henderson. She’s -4, reasonably placed at the halfway mark.

12.25pm BST

Celine Boutier of France is putting a fine round together. Birdies at 4, 8, 11 and 13 take her up to -5. Boutier came close at the US Open this year, leading going into Sunday, only to double bogey the opening hole of her final round. She never really got going again after that. It was the 25-year-old’s first experience of the business end of a major, though. Plenty to help her keep it up this week.

12.10pm BST

The 2016 conqueror of Woburn, Ariya Jutanugarn, nearly drains a monster birdie putt on 18. But it’s just a tap-in par, and she’s scribbling her signature at the bottom of a 70.

-8: Salas (14)
-7: Law (F), Buhai
-6: A Jutanugarn (F), Hall (17), Ciganda (13), Kang, Shibuno

12.05pm BST

No, it’s too much to ask. The putt slips by on the right, and that’s Hall’s first bogey of the week. She’s -6. Meanwhile Nelly Korda makes bounce-back birdie at 15. She’s -5 and there’s a spring in her step again.

12.03pm BST

Hall opts for a bump and run with an 8-iron. But she still ends up half-lobbing the ball into the air, and it dies softly as it hits the green, halfway to the hole. She’s left with a 20-footer for her par. She made one of these par savers from similar distance at this hole yesterday, having come up short. Can she escape again?

11.58am BST

Georgia Hall hasn’t dropped a shot yet this week either. But she’s got her work cut out to maintain that proud record at 17. She sets her tee shot at the par-three too far out to the left, and catches the branches of a tree. Her ball drops down, stunned. She’s well short of the green, left with a testing up and down to scramble her par.

11.55am BST

Par for Bronte Law at the last, and she’s signing for a fine 67. The 24-year-old from Stockport is still to drop a shot this week, and she’s the new leader in the clubhouse at -7.

11.53am BST

One of the putts of the week by Carlota Ciganda! A huge right-to-left breaker from 30 feet on 12, the ball trundling along a circumference and into the cup. One of those where you think ... no chance ... surely not ... hold on, that’s going in ... it’s there! Absolute plumb centre. Such an aesthetically and mathematically pleasing route to the hole. She’s -6. But a three-putt bogey for Nelly Korda on 14, whose round is beginning to unravel after a fast start of four birdies in the first seven holes. THat’s her second bogey in three, and she slips to -4.

11.40am BST

The defending champ Georgia Hall doesn’t threaten the flag with her approach to the par-five 15th. But her putter is red hot, and she makes the right-to-left curler from 20 feet and joins her compatriot Bronte Law in second spot at -7. Meanwhile up on 18, the US Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 arrows her second to a couple of feet. For a second it looked like it was going to roll in for eagle. But when she tidies that up for birdie, she’ll be signing for a one-under 71, and it’ll give her the early clubhouse lead at -5.

11.36am BST

Back-to-back birdies for Carlota Ciganda at 10 and 11, as she continues her relentless pursuit of a first major title for Spain. It’s got to happen sometime, you’d think, so consistent is the 29-year-old from Pamplona. She reached the 11th green in two huge smashes, and her 30-foot eagle putt wasn’t too far away at all. She’s -5.

11.31am BST

Bronte Law is this close to making it three birdies in a row and grabbing a share of the lead. Having found the rough down the right of 16, she guides her second into the heart of the green, pretty much the best result possible from the angle she was coming in, the pin tucked behind a bunker on the left. The resulting 30-foot putt stops a couple of inches short. She remains at -7. Meanwhile just the par for Salas on 12. She shakes her head as she walks off the green, having clearly fancied getting up and down from 70 yards or so.

11.26am BST

The leader Salas wedges her second at 12 to 20 feet. She looks thoroughly disgusted with herself, illustrating the level she’s been playing at today. Meanwhile Ariya Jutanugarn continues to see-saw, dropping a stroke at 14, then failing to threaten birdie at the par-five 15th, quite the disappointment for such a long hitter. She’s back to -6.

11.17am BST

Back-to-back birdies for Bronte Law! She sends her third at the par-five 15th to 15 feet, then makes the gentle left-to-right slider to move to -7. Nelly Korda slips to -5 after finding the trees off the tee at 12. And the world number one is quietly nudging her way into the thick of it. Ko Jin-young started slowly this morning, with bogey at 3, but birdies at 8 and now 12 have pushed her up to -5.

11.14am BST

Close study of the last leaderboard shows Ariya Jutanugarn back at -7. Thailand’s first major-winning golfer already has a British Open to her name - she won it here in 2016. And she’s looking to repeat the trick. Birdie at 13, and she’s just a shot off Salas’s lead. Meanwhile it’s been a productive morning for Maria Torres. The first LPGA star from Puerto Rico nearly aced 14 yesterday, and continues to entertain today, hitting the turn in 33. She’s -3 overall.

11.06am BST

It’s a lovely day at Woburn. Warm, the sun poking through the clouds, and very little wind. It looks like it’s going to be another day of low scoring. So having said that, Georgia Hall lets a 12-foot birdie chance slide by the cup on 13. But she’s still going along nicely at -6, yet to drop a shot this week.

11.02am BST

Another birdie for Bronte Law, this time at the par-three 14th. It momentarily gives her a share of second place, but then Lizette Salas, the 30-year-old from Azusa, California near the Mexican border on Route 66, birdies 10 to snatch the outright lead for herself. Salas’s best performance at a major was her tie for fifth at this year’s PGA, but she’s also got a sixth-place finish at this event on her resume, back in 2013 on the Old Course at St Andrews no less. She also sunk the winning putt at the 2017 Solheim Cup. Could this be the next step up?

-8: Salas (10)
-7: A Jutanugarn (13), Buhai
-6: Law (14), Hall (12), N Korda (10), Shibuno, Kang

10.55am BST

It’s also been a good morning for English hope Bronte Law. The 24-year-old from Stockport trudged off the 18th last night a bit downcast, having missed a good birdie chance. But she was still signing for a bogey-free 70. And she’s still to drop a shot this week. Birdies at 1, 5 and 10, the rest pars, and she’s -5 through 13.

10.45am BST

Come to Milton Keynes, they told the best golfers in the world. And come they have, to cook up something special on the Marquess Course at Woburn. This is already shaping up to be a fantastic tournament. After a low-scoring opening round, with some fine attacking golf on display, the top of the leaderboard looked like this ...

-7: Buhai
-6: Shibuno, Kang
-5: SH Park, Hull, M Jutanugarn, Khang
-4: Lee6, A Jutanugarn, JY Ko

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