Recari shows her battling qualities to share the lead

Spain’s Beatriz Recari has been the only player to break par in both rounds at Royal Birkdale (Getty Images)

Beatriz Recari finished with three straight birdies for a five-under 67 in the second round at Royal Birkdale to share the lead on three under with Ryu So-yeon on another tough day at the Women’s British Open yesterday.

Ryu is the only player to have broken par in both rounds on what is a tough links course even without thick grass and increasing wind. That looked in doubt when she had a double-bogey on her second hole, though the former US Open champion did not drop another shot on her way to a round of 70.

“Links golf is always hard to predict,” Ryu said. “Even when I hit the great shots, it can still finish at the worst place. And when I hit the bad shots, still can finish close to the pin. So it’s really important, whatever the result, we need to accept it and just keep working. Today I made a double-bogey on the second hole, but I knew it was just unlucky.”

Recari made six birdies with a 40-footer across the green at the ninth and a chip-in behind the 12th green. Ahn Sun-ju also had six birdies in a round of 67 that left her one shot behind at two under.

Three weeks after winning the US Open, Michelle Wie will be returning to her Hawaii home after missing the cut. The 24-year-old made a double bogey on the 16th, and then another bogey on the par-five 17th to end up with a 78.