A jet-lagged Hannah Green and rookie Justice Bosio threw their hats into the ring for a maiden Australian Open title and both are chasing surprise halfway leader, amateur Hyojin Yang.
Yang shot rounds of 65, 71 at co-hosts Victoria Golf Club and Kingston Heath, respectively, to surge to nine-under-par and one shot ahead of 2013 Women’s Australian Open winner, Jiyai Shin, and Bosio. Newly-minted pro Bosio carded a 69 at Victoria GC to surpass Green in the clubhouse lead before Yang finished Friday atop the leaderboard.
The major champion Green, who arrived Wednesday morning from the US after the LPGA Tour finale in Florida and didn’t play a practice round, mixed four birdies with three bogeys during a one-under-par 71 at Victoria GC. After an opening 67 at Kingston Heath she sat seven-under through two rounds and in fourth. Sydney’s Steph Kyriacou led a group tied for fifth at four-under.
Green birdied her last two holes to make lunch taste better before a weekend charge.
“Yeah, I had a few errant tee shots today and got myself in some tricky positions around the greens, which was difficult to try and make up and down but it was nice to at least finish at least with two par fives and be able to get two birdies to finish on a positive note and good momentum going into the weekend,” she said.
Green said Kingston Heath seemed soft and receptive.
“A couple of times I probably could have been a bit more aggressive but wasn’t just because I couldn’t get over the fact that it was stopping as quick as it was but I’ve put myself in a good position for the weekend, so hopefully at Kingston Heath, we don’t get too much rain.”
