Nelly Korda (-8) has delivered a magnificent performance in the morning round of the second day of the AIG Women’s Open. The American has signed, along with Cassandra Alexander (-3), the best card of the morning with 68 strokes and is, provisionally, the leader of the tournament with a total of eight under par.
The playing conditions this morning at Saint Andrews have been favourable and Nelly has taken advantage of it. The sun was shining and the wind, although still very present, has reduced its intensity compared to yesterday. The water has made its presence felt, but only in a testimonial way. Touch wood as soon as possible. That being said, the wind is increasing and it is expected that this afternoon it may condition even more. It will be very difficult for any player to hunt down Korda this afternoon, but these golfers play very well and anyone can get their fingers caught.
The World Number One has continued in the solid line with which she closed her round yesterday. Although the Florida season is scandalous, in recent weeks a less solid Nelly has been seen. Making great rounds, but with many ups and downs. This Friday, a Korda in control of the situation and accelerating at the necessary moments has been seen again. Without going any further this Friday she has not signed any bogey, something that has not happened for more than three months when she won the Mizuho Americas Open.
With four birdies without a mistake, she has put herself in an unbeatable situation to face the assault of her third Major. Korda competes for and for history and joining her name to that of Saint Andrews is surely something that motivates her especially. It would also be her seventh title of the season. For years Nelly has had the makings of a memorable player, but what she is achieving in this 2024 elevates her to another dimension.
We have to wait and see if she is capable of finishing the job by lifting her first Open on Sunday. If she achieves it, she would be the first player to win seven tournaments in a season since Lorena Ochoa did it in 2008, with the particularity that Korda would do it with two Majors, the Mexican only won one that year.
Trying to prevent it will be Charley Hull (-5), one of the big favourites and who started as leader this Friday, has managed to hold her own when it seemed that things were getting very uphill for her. She started from hole 10 along with Korda and Lilia Vu (-5) and chained three bogeys in the first round. At the pace Nelly was going, the head of the tournament was getting away from her. The Englishwoman has managed to overcome the very difficult moment she was going through with three birdies that have returned her to the place where she started the day, but keep her options intact for the weekend. Majors are not won on Fridays, but they can be lost. The Englishwoman has managed to keep her composure to cling to the course and stay in the fight for her first Major.
That match was closed by Lillia Vu, also at minus five. 18 under par between the three in these two rounds. Not by far any other match comes close to these figures. There is still a lot of round left, but tomorrow some of them could go out together again. They have closed the shift as the trio in the lead.
In the noble positions of the head and who have completed the first two rounds are tied at three under par, Mao Saigo, Ashleigh Bughai, Lydia Ko and Pei Yun Chieny (-3). We will have to pay close attention to these golfers this weekend. If the afternoon playing conditions are confirmed, this shift will have been clearly favoured by the weather. Such is golf and the gods of this sport have their particular sense of justice.
However, among the big names that have already closed their 36 holes and that everything points to not playing the weekend we find Yuka Saso (+7), Allisen Corpuz (+7) and Jin Young Ko (+11). Perrine Delacour (+6) who is playing for a place in the European team will have to wait until the last breath to see if her result is worth it. In principle it seems that it will not be enough, but if the wind increases everything can happen.
