{"id":1245594,"date":"2023-06-24T01:27:39","date_gmt":"2023-06-24T01:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/mel-reid-in-major-hunt-nine-months-after-quitting-sport\/"},"modified":"2023-11-29T18:46:43","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T18:46:43","slug":"kpmg-womens-pga-championship-2023-r2-mel-reid-in-major-hunt-nine-months-after-quitting-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/kpmg-womens-pga-championship-2023-r2-mel-reid-in-major-hunt-nine-months-after-quitting-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"Mel Reid in major hunt nine months after quitting sport"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mel Reid moved to within a shot of the lead at the second women\u2019s major of the year \u2013 nine months after quitting golf.<\/p>\n

Ireland\u2019s Leona Maguire fired four late birdies in a second round 68 to take the halfway lead at the KPMG Women\u2019s PGA Championship in New Jersey, one clear of a group on four-under which includes England\u2019s Reid after her 67.<\/p>\n

She was joined by China\u2019s Xiyu Lin and Norwegian rookie Celine Borge with first round leader Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa and Australia\u2019s Minjee Lee, chasing her second major title after a second round 67.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Women\u2019s
Mel Reid, of England, tees off on the fourth hole during the second round of the Women\u2019s PGA Championship (eth Wenig\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

For Reid, it is a big change from deciding to give up playing due to injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cI legit quit,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen I got my injury, I tried to play through it, which I kind of felt I had to. In September I literally told Carly (her wife), I\u2019m going into the media, I\u2019m not playing golf anymore.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith things like that, if you just give me a bit of space, I do kind of work it out myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed the competitiveness of it and I thought let\u2019s give it one more go. I\u2019ve just been really enjoying myself this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maguire birdied four of her final six holes as she took the halfway lead in a major for the first time.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Women\u2019s
Leona Maguire, of Ireland, tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the Women\u2019s PGA Championship (Matt Rourke\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is uncharted territory for me,\u201d Maguire said. \u201cWhatever happens this week, I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll learn a lot, and just sort of taking it one day at a time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this golf course demands that.<\/a> I think you can\u2019t think more than one shot ahead, let alone a hole or a round ahead.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Northern Ireland\u2019s Stephanie Meadow shot a second round 68 to be in a group on one-under with only 15 players under par on the Lower Course at Baltusrol.<\/p>\n

World number nine Lexi Thompson birdied her last four holes to sneak inside the cut at four-over-par, but England\u2019s Georgia Hall, Charley Hull, Bronte Law and Laura Davies all missed out, alongside world number two Nelly Korda, number four Lilia Vi and number six Atthaya Thitikul.<\/p>\n