Nelly Korda continued her impressive performance at the Women’s British Open, moving three shots clear of the competition after a flawless second round on Friday at the iconic Old Course in St Andrews. Korda, the world number one, navigated the wet and gusty conditions with a blemish-free 68, showcasing her mastery of the links course.
Starting early in the day, Korda built a comfortable lead and held on to it throughout the round, thanks in part to a new ‘Spider’ putter that helped her sink four birdies, including two long putts on the 17th and 18th holes. She now sits at eight-under par overall, a testament to her resilience and adaptability in the face of challenging weather.
“Yesterday it was brutally windy throughout the range session until about probably 16,” Korda said. “Then today, it was raining a good bit during my range session and then it was up until probably my second or third hole. It was pretty calm the front nine and then once we got to 18 and number one, that’s when it started pumping. I didn’t take advantage of the calmer conditions on my front nine, the back nine. But I played some really solid golf, and I’m happy with that.”
Charley Hull, who led after the first round with a superb five-under-par 67, struggled with her putting on Friday, making three bogeys before recovering with three birdies to finish at par. She remains tied for second with defending champion and world number two Lilia Vu, who carded a 70. Despite the setback, Hull remains confident heading into the weekend, believing she can close the gap on Korda.
“I actually thought I hit it just as good as yesterday, I just missed three or four four-foot putts, but that was early on in my round,” said Hull. “I didn’t feel like I putted quite as good, but I felt like I struggled with the pace today. I’m only three shots behind (Korda). That’s nothing going into the weekend, especially on this golf course.”
Meanwhile, China’s Yin Ruoning climbed to fourth place with a closing birdie on the 18th, putting her four strokes behind Korda. Olympic champion Lydia Ko is tied for fifth at three-under alongside South Africa’s Casandra Alexander, who shot up the leaderboard with a round of 68, and Swedish amateur Louise Rydqvist, who recorded the joint-low score of the week with a 67.
Catriona Matthew, the only Scot to win the British Open, played her final appearance at the event, ending her career with a birdie and a pause on the Swilcan Bridge on her way to the 18th to acknowledge the applause. “I don’t know if it has really sunk in. I felt slightly embarrassed, a little awkward (on the bridge),” said Matthew, who turns 55 on Sunday. “It’s something you never really think of, playing for the last time. But it just felt right for me, being at St Andrews, being in Scotland.”
