Lottie Woad leads Evian; Nelly Korda misses 1st cut in 2 years
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Lottie Woad of England competes in the second round of the Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club.
PHOTO: AFP
EVIAN-LES-BAINS – Lottie Woad of England carded a seven-under 64 on July 10 to secure a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France.
She collected eight birdies against one bogey at the Evian Resort Golf Club to move to 11-under 131 at the fourth of this season’s five Majors.
While Woad shot up the leaderboard, world No. 1 Nelly Korda saw her streak of 34 cuts made in official LPGA Tour events come to a halt. The four-time Major winner’s bid for a birdie on the final hole fell inches short, putting her at two-under 69 and one-over 143 for the tournament.
Korda’s last missed cut was the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship.
Woad caught fire on the back nine, highlighted by a run of birdies on Nos. 11 to 13 as well as birdies on the par-five 15th and 18th holes.
“Yeah, I think I just kept on giving myself chances. I mean, at the start I hit a lot of good approaches on one and two and didn’t make them,” she said. “On the back nine seemed to make most things.”
Woad is one shot ahead of first-round leader Aki Iwai (69). The Japanese recorded five birdies, but a bogey on No. 17 and a double-bogey on the par-four sixth hole soured her round.
Compatriot Mao Saigo (68) benefited from a bogey-free round to join Ryu Hae-ran of South Korea in third place, three strokes behind Woad.
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul tallied an eagle on No. 7 and five birdies to card a 64 on July 10. The nine-time LPGA Tour winner resides in a four-way tie for fifth place at six under.
“Like I wanted to hit it on the fairway, because I know if I hit on the fairway I might have a chance to go two to the green. Even I have to hit 3 woods,” Thitikul said of her approach on the par-five seventh hole.
“But like it had a chance, because yesterday I miss by a tad bit to the left so I don’t have a chance to go to the green. So I had like over 40 feet putt and it just luckily went in.”
Singapore’s Shannon Tan made the cut for the third time in as many Majors this season, posting 72 for a one-under 141, two-day total to place tied-46th.
The 22-year-old recorded her best finish at a Major on June 28, when she finished joint-32nd at the Women’s PGA Championship. She also marked her debut in the event with the first hole-in-one of her professional career.
It was not only Korda who had a bad day.
In men’s golf, Scottie Scheffler’s four-year run of 78 successive made cuts also finally came to an end as the world No. 1 crashed out of the Scottish Open.
One consolation for him is that his exit gives him more time to become familiar with the Royal Birkdale course near Liverpool where he will begin the defence of his British Open title, the oldest of golf’s four Major championships, next week. REUTERS, AFP
