With only four players under par at the US Women’s Open presented by Ally through 36 holes, she was Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. under. Meechai, who has five career world wins, is looking to become the 23rd player to become a first-time LPGA Tour winner at the US Women’s Open as she holds her lead in the second round of any event at Lancaster Country Club.
“To be honest, I don’t know what the first four holes were, but I’m glad it came,” said Meechai, who got into golf through her father, a tournament director on a professional tour overseas. “I only know myself that I’m so nervous, I have adrenaline. The first four holes, I just picked the shorter club and hit it hard. I think it worked well with this course, probably because you can’t be too aggressive with it, and I’m very close to the pin, and my putt has been really good this week, I think. I’m just amazed, too.”
Meechai was on fire out of the gate, making four consecutive birdies on her first four holes from 10 to 14. Her adrenaline then got the best of her, and her hot rod cooled after she made three bogeys on her next eight holes. He regrouped after that stretch, making a rebound birdie on No. 4 thanks to a perfect six-footer that was the result of a 98-yard approach shot. Meechai made her sixth and final birdie during the second round on the par-3 8th hole, hitting the 171-yard tee shot to eight feet.
“Trying to be patient on this course is key for me because even though you’re hitting the green, you can three-putt really easily if you’re in the wrong spots, that kind of thing.” said Meechai, who currently ranks second in the field in earned run (+2.86). “I’m just trying to be patient and if I can get birds, I will.”
She will face some young and experienced players, with the closest to her being Andrea Lee at -2 overall after a 1-under 69 in the second round. Lee made her first birdie of the day on No. 11 after hitting the approach shot to 15 feet, but slowed her momentum with a double bogey on the challenging par-3 12th hole after finding water near the green off the tee and advancing to a three-pointer. After another bogey at 15, Lee found a bright spot just around the turn, drilling one of the top shots of this year’s championship from 180 yards for eagle on the round’s 10th hole (No. 1). An explosive cheer and celebration later, Lee put her foot on the gas pedal, making birdies on the next three par 4s (holes 2-4).
Lee made two more bogeys before a crucial par on her final hole of the round, making a 15-foot putt on No. 9 to stay as close to Meechai’s lead with a significant opportunity still ahead of her. “I had to figure out what works best for me and not look at the top players in the world, what they did and just focus on me. My mental game has gotten a lot better. I’m able to stay really patient and positive out there instead of being so down and out, which I’ve done in the past,” Lee said of what prepared her for this big league position. “I think overall, I’m just getting better at doing that and it’s been nice to see some good results so far this year.”
The 2021 and 2022 U.S. Women’s Open champions Yuka Saso and Minjee Lee are tied for third at 1-under, both looking to complete their impressive resumes this weekend at Lancaster Country Club. Lee shot a 1-under 69 on Friday that included birdies on the par-4 5th, par-3 12th and par-5 13th, but came back down to Earth after bogeys on 17 and 18, eventually falling into a tie for third with her good friend Saso. Eight players are in a tie for fifth place, including 2019 AIG Women’s Open champion Hinako Shibuno and amateurs Asterisk Talley and Megan Schofill.
There were 75 players who made the number at 8-over, including 2023 Epson Tour Player of the Year Gabriela Ruffels, whose string of birdies on holes three through five on the back nine lifted her into the weekend in a round that also included six dads. Among the notables to miss the cut are Rolex No. 1 Nelly Korda, two-time LPGA Tour winner Rose Zhang and defending champion Allisen Corpuz, as well as majors Brooke Henderson and Patty Tavatanakit. Eighteen-time US Women’s Open participant Lexi Thompson will also miss the final 36 holes in Pennsylvania.
Korda fought her way through the weekend into the second round. After bogeying the first, the 25-year-old’s momentum started to hit with three straight birdies on holes six, seven and eight before making another troublesome bogey on the par-4 ninth hole. On the 10th, Korda made a crucial par from 7 feet to regain her lead in her final eight holes. The golf gods finally gave Nelly one back on No. 12, a par that was seven shots better than her 10 on the hole Friday. Her tee shot carried the water about two feet before it bounced back, sticking in rough water just inches from the same water her ball found three times earlier in the day. He stabbed the next chip and then watched the ball drop after the back 20-footer found the bottom of the hole. In the end it wasn’t enough, as Korda finished at 10-over, posting an even-par 70 with a bogey at the 18th.
Thompson, who announced her retirement from full-time play earlier in the week, closed with a 75 in the second round to leave Lancaster at +13 overall. “I know when I first tried it at Pine Needles, that’s where I wanted to be and play against the best. To still be able to do it and play at 18, even though it wasn’t how I wanted to end it, was always special every time I tried it at a USGA event,” Thompson said. “I loved every moment I had.”