ST. ANDREWS – Nelly Korda looks to be back to her dominant best at the home of golf.
The top-ranked American mastered more blustery conditions at St. Andrews by shooting a bogey-free, 4-under 68 in the second round on Friday to take a three-stroke lead at the Women’s British Open.
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Korda won the first women's major of 2024 — the Chevron Championship in April — and is on track to capture the last one, too. There have also been five more titles in a year when she has consolidated her status as the best player in the women’s game, even if her top form has deserted her in the last couple of months.
Worse for Korda’s rivals is that she is warming to links golf, too.
“This year in general, I’ve won on just so many different types of grasses, in different types of conditions, that you just kind of always have to adapt,” said Korda, who was 8-under par for the tournament. “That’s the same thing in tennis, same thing in life.
“You’re always adapting to your situations at hand, and I think that’s what’s so fun about links golf — you’re literally starting it 30 yards left of your target, and I’m not a fade player but I’m hitting massive fades. I think it’s fun hitting these little low drivers, too. I’m having fun, and I enjoy links golf a lot.”
Korda has played her first two rounds with defending champion Lilia Vu and England's Charley Hull, a crowd favorite playing in her home major, and the marquee group has lived up to its billing.
Hull, the overnight leader by one stroke after a first-round 67, shot even par and was tied for second place on 5 under with Vu, who shot 70.
They were outplayed by Korda on a day when the wind wasn't quite as brutal as Day 1, but Hull was bullish heading into the weekend.
“Only three shots behind — that’s nothing going into the weekend, especially on this golf course,” said the No. 10-ranked Hull, who is seeking her first major title. “I left a lot of putts out there. I think Nelly had 30 putts and I had 36 putts. So that’s six putts that I’ve lost to her on the greens.”
Ruoning Yin, last year’s Women’s PGA Championship winner from China, shot 72 and was alone in the fourth place on 4 under.
Olympic champion Lydia Ko shot a 70 and was one of six players on 3 under — five strokes off the lead — at the halfway point. In that group was Swedish amateur Louise Rydqvist, who shot 67.
Among the players to miss the cut were No. 3-ranked Jin Young Ko (10 over), No. 5-ranked Hannah Green (7 over), two-time major winner and No. 13-ranked Minjee Lee (9 over) and No. 14-ranked Lauren Coughlin (6 over), who won two of her previous three starts including at the Scottish Open last week.
Only 20 players were under par after 36 holes following two windy days at the Old Course. The forecast is for calmer weather over the weekend.
Korda started out a stroke behind Hull, who bogeyed two of her first five holes after the group began at No. 10 and fell further behind when the American rolled in long putts to birdie both Nos. 17 and 18 for the second straight day.
Playing with a new putter, Korda made another birdie at the par-5 fifth hole and then two-putted from the fringe for birdie at No. 9 after nearly driving the green. Vu and Hull also birdied the last hole to stay three shots back and in touch.
Korda looks destined to better her previous best finish at the Women's British Open — ninth place in 2019. That's her only top 10 at this major.
“I’m just trying to stay very present and not think about anything other than one shot at a time,” said Korda, a two-time major winner. “And whatever golf and links golf throws at me, I’m going to take it head on.”
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf