Ireland’s Leona Maguire remains in contention for her first major title after battling through a challenging second day at the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. Maguire is currently tied for fifth place at one-under-par, one of only six players to be under par at the halfway point. American Bailey Tardy holds a two-stroke lead at seven-under-par.
Tardy took advantage of the calm conditions in the morning, scoring four birdies and an eagle in her round of 68. However, the wind picked up in the afternoon, making scoring more difficult for the later starters. Maguire struggled initially with four dropped shots in her first five holes but managed to recover with two birdies to finish the round on a positive note.
Maguire admitted that she didn’t play her best golf, citing a lack of greens hit as the main challenge. However, her strong short game kept her in contention, and she remains confident going into day three of the tournament.
Another notable performance came from England’s Charley Hull, who birdied her last three holes to move into the top 12 at one-over-par. Hull is tied with Irish amateur Aine Donegan and rookie sensation Rose Zhang, who won her professional debut after an impressive college career.
Unfortunately, some big names failed to make the cut, including world No. 1 Jin Young Ko and major champions Jennifer Kupcho, Georgia Hall, Lexi Thompson, and Lilia Vu. The tournament also marked the final professional appearance for golfing legend Michelle Wie West, who finished 14-over par and missed the cut. Despite her struggles, Wie West had a fairytale ending as she sunk a 30-foot putt on the final hole.
Reflecting on her final round, Wie West expressed mixed emotions, acknowledging the strange feeling of the end of her career. She described the long putt on the 18th as a sweeter send-off and thanked the game of golf for the countless memories and experiences it has given her.
As the US Women’s Open continues, golf fans can watch all the action live on Sky Sports. The coverage will be available on Saturday from 10.15 pm on Sky Sports Mix, the red button on Sky Sports Golf, and also for free on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.
