Mel Reid in major hunt at Women’s PGA Championship nine months after quitting sport

Leona Maguire grabbed the halfway lead at Women’s PGA Championship with late flurry of birdies

Mel Reid, of England, lines up a putt on the third hole (Seth Wenig/AP) (AP)

Mel Reid moved to within a shot of the lead at the second women’s major of the year – nine months after quitting golf.

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

She was joined by China’s Xiyu Lin and Norwegian rookie Celine Borge with first round leader Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa and Australia’s Minjee Lee, chasing her second major title after a second round 67.

For Reid, it is a big change from deciding to give up playing due to injury.

“I legit quit,” she said. “When 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’m going into the media, I’m not playing golf anymore.

“With things like that, if you just give me a bit of space, I do kind of work it out myself.

“I missed the competitiveness of it and I thought let’s give it one more go. I’ve just been really enjoying myself this year.”

Maguire birdied four of her final six holes as she took the halfway lead in a major for the first time.

“This is uncharted territory for me,” Maguire said. “Whatever happens this week, I’m sure I’ll learn a lot, and just sort of taking it one day at a time.

“I think this golf course demands that. I think you can’t think more than one shot ahead, let alone a hole or a round ahead.”

Northern Ireland’s 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.

World number nine Lexi Thompson birdied her last four holes to sneak inside the cut at four-over-par, but England’s 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.