CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP) – Nelly Korda barely managed to smile after tapping for the first birdie of her second round at the Women’s British Open.
On a day when her putter went cold, it had taken the world’s best player 14 holes to get a shot at Carnoustie.
Some of their big rivals didn’t have such problems on Friday.
Georgia Hall, the 2018 champion, overcame a 15th hole double bogey – the start of a brutal finish on the legendary Scottish Links Course – to shoot 3 under 69 and part of the 36-hole lead with Mina Harigae from . to take over the United States (67) to 7 under total.
One blow back were No. 4 Sei Young Kim (71), a major champion from last year, and Lizette Salas (69), who finished second behind Korda in the PGA Championship in June.
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Wanting to contribute to her only big win in 2014, Lexi Thompson shot 70 and was part of a big group at 5 under.
Then Korda was accommodated in another large group of 4. The new women’s golf superstar and recently crowned Olympic champion shot 1 over 73 and was one of only two players in the current top 16 of the leaderboard who shot over par on another benign day when the wind stopped and it felt almost mild at times near the east coast of Scotland.
Hall hoped it wouldn’t last.
“I think it’s time it got windy,” said Hall, referring to the conditions over the weekend, which are likely to be much tougher. “It’s real links golf and that’s what people want to see, and I think it makes golf a lot more interesting in a lot of wind. So I’m really looking forward to playing in it. “
Hall, who won her favorite event at Royal Lytham three years ago, rolled in six birdies on her first 14 holes to take a one-shot lead on 9 under.
The double bogey 6 at # 15 dropped her in a four-way tie for the lead, and she parried her way home to join Harigae, who was the last to roll a long, winding birdie putt for one lap to finish out of 67, which contained a total of seven birdies.
In the last five years at the Women’s Open, no player in the 1960s has completed more rounds than Hall nine and that leaves the 25-year-old English golfer with confidence for the weekend.
“I feel very calm when I play in the British Open,” said Hall.
“It’s just so nice to play in front of the crowds. We missed that last year and to hear them cheer my name is great. I have a lot of fun.”
Korda didn’t seem to have that.
Even a big putt from right to left for birdie at 17 couldn’t cheer the world’s best player, who parried her first eight holes, marked by a series of missed putts from the center, even when her green play tee shot was typically strong .
“I don’t think I hit it that bad,” said Korda. “The only thing I struggled with was doing those putts and getting it close.”
The frustration outweighed Korda when she missed # 9 and missed an 8-foot putt, and # 11 and other missed opportunities at # 12 and 13 did not improve her mood.
The first of her two birdies came on par 5 14th after she hit the green with two.
“Everyone keeps talking about how well I play, but I’m going to get bad results,” said Korda. “I am human.”
And at least she made it to the weekend.
Sophia Popov, last year’s unlikely champion at Royal Troon 304, double-bogeyed on the final hole after three putts and shot 75 for a 3-over aggregate.
Also missing was number 5, Danielle Kang, who shot 76-75 and two British favorites in Charley Hull – despite a second round 71 – and the captain of the European Ryder Cup, Catriona Matthew (75), the 2009 champion.
Laura Davies, who has played every Women’s Open since 1980, remains, however. The persevering Englishwoman, 57, shot 70 and was even tied for the tournament.
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