Inbee Park hits the front in Rio

• Second consecutive 66 puts Inbee Park in front at halfway
• Stacy Lewis, with a best of the day 63, is a shot adrift in second
• GB’s Charley Hull a further shot behind in bronze medal position

Olympic Women’s Golf: Rnd 2
-10 Inbee Park; -9 Stacy Lewis; -8 Charley Hull, Brooke Henderson; -7 Marianne Skarpnord, Nicole Broch Larsen, Candie Kung; -6 Aditi Ashok, Minjee Lee, Ariya Jutanugarn, In Gee Chun, Gering Piller Selected others: -5 Catriona Matthew; -3 Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson

South Korea’s Inbee Park holds a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the women’s Olympic golf tournament after a day of low scoring in Rio de Janeiro.

The 28-year-old world No.8 carded a second consecutive 66 to reach ten-under-par and grab the slenderest of advantages over America’s Stacy Lewis, who vaulted up the leaderboard and into second place courtesy of a 63.

Read more -> Leadbetter roasts Rio no-shows

Great Britain’s Charley Hull is currently sitting in the bronze medal position alongside Brooke Henderson of Canada on eight-under. Hull’s compatriot Catriona Matthew is in a tie for 11th on five-under-par.

Thirty-five of the 60 strong field broke par in the second round in Rio

First round leader Ariya Jutanugarn was unable to improve on her opening day’s efforts, carding a level-par 71 to remain on six-under-par. The Thai’s inability to break par was in stark contrast to the majority of the 60-strong field, 35 of whom did so. Indeed, Jutanugarn was the only player in the top 20 who failed to break 70.

CONTINUES BELOW…

Seven-time major winner Park, meanwhile, birdied three of her final four holes to leapfrog Lewis, pictured above, at the top of the leaderboard. Lewis’ 63 was made all the more impressive by the fact that it included a bogey and a double-bogey.

Hull birdied her last three holes to complete an impressive day’s work. She was joined on eight-under, just two behind Park, by 18-year-old Henderson, who birdied five of her last six holes en route to a flawless 64.

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Inbee Park: Did you know…

Earlier this year, Inbee Park became eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame after taking part in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. At 27, as she was at the time, she was the youngest player ever to qualify for it.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor