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Lee, Green, Kyriacou contending at Open

Darren WaltonAAP
Minjee Lee has tamed blustery conditions to be among the leaders at the Women's British Open. (AP PHOTO)
Camera IconMinjee Lee has tamed blustery conditions to be among the leaders at the Women's British Open. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AP

Minjee Lee has been joined by fellow Australians Hannah Green and Steph Kyriacou in contention at the Women's British Open as she chases a third major title and the world No.1 ranking.

Green birdied the last three holes at Muirfield as she shot a five-under-par 66 in blustery conditions on Friday to be three shots behind leader In Gee Chun (66) at the halfway point.

Youngster Kyriacou carded a flawless 68 to be a shot further back, alongside world No.2 Lee (70) in a tie for seventh, while countrywoman Whitney Hillier is tied 26th.

South Korea's Chun has a fourth major title - and second of the season - in her sights after claiming the lead.

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Chun, who won the Women's PGA Championship at Congressional in June despite consecutive weekend rounds of 75, carded six birdies and a solitary bogey in a second round of 66 at Muirfield to reach eight under.

The 27-year-old had a one-shot lead over South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai and Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom, with seven-time major winner Inbee Park a shot further back.

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After winning the US Women's Open in June, then finishing runner-up at the PGA Championship to be leading the Anna Major Award standings for season's most outstanding major championship performer, West Australian Lee has given herself a great shot at a truly glorious weekend.

Grouped with world No.1 Jin Young Ko, who missed the cut, and world No.3 Nelly Korda for the first two rounds, Lee is positioned to not only battle for Open glory but also take the top spot in the world rankings.

Hitting green after green with another majestic display of ball striking, she couldn't buy a putt and she looks set to challenge if her numerous near-miss putts start to drop.

"I gave myself quite a few birdie opportunities when I hit some good shots in, and then had plenty of putts, like 25 feet for birdie as well." Lee said.

"I played really smart out there. I couldn't quite capitalise on my birdie opportunities, so hopefully they will all drop tomorrow."

Lee was doing her best to ignore the outside noise as she moved ever closer to becoming Australia's first-ever female world No.1 golfer on Sunday.

"I definitely know where I am on the leaderboard playing," the 26-year-old said.

"I try not to think too much about the other stuff. I'm still the same person. I'm still going to, I hit a little white golf ball around a field.

"That's always been my mindset and, whatever comes with it, I'm going to embrace it and be the best person that I can be, so, yeah ..."

Sunday's winner will claim $A1.57 million from the record prize fund, but Chun revealed she is also motivated by a somewhat smaller sum of money on offer.

"Before the start of the tournament my caddie Dean and I talked about the course and had a little bet," Chun explained.

"If I have a bogey-free round he's going to buy me dinner and pay me 100 dollars each day, so before each round it's like setting another goal.

"That mindset helped a lot on the course; I had two bogeys over the last two days but I want to keep trying for a bogey-free round."

World No.1 Ko (71) missed the cut after limping to 5-over 147 for the tournament. The 2021 LPGA Player of the Year became the first women's reigning No.1 to miss the cut in a major since Sung Hyun Park at the 2018 Evian Championship.

Ko's missed cut means Lee is guaranteed the top ranking if she win's the Open, or is runner-up and Korda doesn't finish higher than third.

with PA

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