Aditi Ashok rallies to make cut at Women's PGA

Bethesda (US): Indian golfer Aditi Ashok bounced back in time for two birdies in the last three holes for a round of 1-under 71 and sneaked inside the cut line at the Women's PGA Championship here.

Aditi, who is trying to improve her results at the Majors, shot 76 in the first round and seemed in danger of missing the cut as she was 1-over after 15 holes. But, two birdies in the last three holes kept her alive in the tournament at the Congressional Country Club. At 3-over, she was T-54 as 72 players made the cut.

Aditi had two sets of back-to-back birdies on seventh and eighth and 16th and 17th against bogeys on second and third and the 15th. Her disastrous first round had two birdies, two bogeys and back to back double bogeys on second and third in a card of 76. She now has two more rounds to repair the damage and try to complete a good finish.

In Gee Chun recovered from a couple of bogeys on the front nine and shot a 3-under 69 in the second round to increase her lead to six strokes at the tournament's halfway point. Chun led by five after the first round, equalling the biggest 18-hole advantage in the history of women's major championships.

Bogeys at Nos. 7 and 8 in the second round prevented her from pulling even further ahead, but she was still very impressive. Lydia Ko (67) and Jennifer Kupcho (68) were second. Kupcho took the first major of the season in early April at the Chevron Championship and won a playoff on Sunday in Michigan for her second LPGA Tour title.

Caroline Inglis (68) was another stroke back at 4-under, along with Brooke Henderson (69), Hannah Green (69), Sei Young Kim (69) and Jennifer Chang (70). If the first day was wet and put the course's length into focus, the second day was a clear, warm day. U S Women's Open champion Minjee Lee (68) was with Lexi Thompson at 3 under. Defending women's PGA champion Nelly Korda (74) was at 1 over.