LEONA MAGUIRE CARDED a level-par round of 72 to leave herself nine shots off clubhouse leader Nelly Korda at the halfway point of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.
The Cavan golfer had birdies on 10 and 14 but bogeys on holes 2 and 16 leave her in a tie for 27th, on one over.
Stephanie Meadow carded a 72 following her opening day 79. She is five-over with the projected cut mark being four-over. Lauren Walsh birdied the last but is eight over following a day-two round of 77.
World number one Korda — who won six times in seven starts on the LPGA Tour between January and May, including her second major at the Chevron Championship — shot to the top of the leaderboard at eight under par.
Since that impressive form to start the year, Korda has failed to even make the cut at two of the last three majors but her bogey-free 68 took the American three strokes clear of defending champion Lilia Vu and Britain’s Charley Hull.
The trio played together in a star-studded group on the opening two days.
Korda credited a change of putter for a turnaround in her form from the last couple of months.
“I just needed something different to look at. Sometimes you just need to switch it up,” she said after battling heavy wind and rain on Scotland’s east coast.
“I’m just trying to stay very present and not think about anything other than one shot at a time, and whatever golf and links golf throws at me, I’m going to take it head on.
“I think when the conditions are a little tougher, in a sense, normal golf is thrown out the window and you’re just trying to play the wind.”
World number two Vu was two under for the day to ease into contention.
Hall had topped the leaderboard on Thursday, but missed the chance to move into pole position for her first major after an even par round left her three shots back.
“I actually I thought I hit it just as good as yesterday,” said Hall.
“I just missed three or four four-foot putts, but that was early on in my round.
“But then, once I got over that, I just fell back into my stroke and it felt fine.
Olympic gold medallist Lydia Ko is also among 10 players within five shots of the lead at three under par.
You can follow the leaderboard here.
them Brits are always late
ha ha.
excellent Cornelius. true that.
if he wins it on the last shot though he’ll be as Irish as myself.
Unlike us punctual Irish!!!!
According to Skysports he’s now Irish again :)
Of course he’s Irish, Jason, Europe is losing!!!!
He was watching the All-Ireland Hurling Final!!!!
Surely in the scenario described he would have been an hour early with Chicago being an hour behind the eastern coast. Unless the earth spins in the opposite direction stateside….
If its 10am in Chicago it’s 11am on the east coast….
Mr crow u beat me to it! silly brits with their tardiness ;)
Cornellius and maverick. You are ignorant gits.
Are all Rorys slow today? Twas a joke. Declan summed it up by what i meant.
sense of humor by pass for Rory Conway !!
@Alan you must be from Leitrim I’m guessing and you support Liverpool and you have a dislike for snobby c@@nts who play golf… All combining to show why you hate 3 champions ie Kilkenny, Man United and McIlroy
lol, probably. would rather go and watch shels than man utd and spend friday night under lights on the driving range with a bunch of other people who kit themselves out from car boot sales and who couldnt hit a wall with a tractor
Man United.. Champions? I think you must have time warped in from 1999??
You don’t know Leitrim people, we laugh at your silly comments!!!!
for some unknown reason some sports people really annoy me. i cant figure out why. mcilory seems a real tosser. i couldnt care less what he does or doesnt achieve. same with alex feguson, wayne rooney, brian cody and others
If Europe wins he’s British , if they lose he’s Irish . Wait till you see.
“eastern seaboard time”? Lads, it’s called Eastern Standard Time in winter and Eastern Daylight Time in the summer…..
Ten minutes is the the time most golfers turn up for their tee time, no big deal.