World number one Nelly Korda’s bogey-free 4-under-par 68 boosted her to a three-stroke lead over 2023 Champion Lilia Vu and first-round leader Charley Hull through 36 holes of the AIG Women’s Open, conducted by The R&A, at the Old Course.
Korda posted the first clean card of the competition for a two-round total of 8-under-par 136.
“I'm just trying to stay very present and not think about anything other than one shot at a time,” said Korda, who is using a new putter this week. “And whatever golf and links golf throws at me, I'm going to take it head on.”
The winner of six LPGA events this season, Korda made two birdies on each nine.
“I didn't really take advantage of the calmer conditions on my front nine, the back nine,” she said. “But I played some really solid golf, and I'm happy with that.”
Playing alongside Korda, Vu shot a 2-under 70, with two birdies on her last three holes, and 2023 runner-up Hull added an even-par 72 that included three birdies in her final five holes. The pair finished at 5-under-par.
“I feel like I'm equally hitting it as good, she just holed a few more putts than me today,” Hull said of Korda. “I think Lilia is the one to watch, as well, because when it gets windy she kind of just sticks in there. She's a good scrambler.”
Vu, who has five consecutive subpar rounds at the AIG Women’s Open (68-67-67 last year at Walton Heath), is gaining confidence with her putter.
“I think I'm happiest with how I've been putting it to the hole,” she said. “I think I'm giving myself a lot of chances for birdie, and that's what you need out here. That's the toughest part, just trying to play with the wind, not against it.”
China’s Ruoning Yin of China shot an even par 72, four strokes off the pace at 4-under.
South African Ashley Buhai, the 2022 Champion, eagled the 14th and 16th holes and followed with a birdie on the 18th (her first nine holes) and finished with a 3-under 69 to lead the contingent at 3-under.
Buhai was joined by Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko of Australia, Casandra Alexander of South Africa, who made the field in Final Qualifying on Monday at Crail Golfing Society, Mao Saigo of Japan, Pei-yun Chien of Chinese Taipei and amateur Louise Rydqvist of Sweden, who shot a bogey free 67, to trail Korda by five strokes.
Alexander followed Korda’s 68 with the competition’s second bogey-free score with a 4-under 68.
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