Lottie Woad’s Second-round Charge At Women’s Open Undone By Triple Bogey

Seaside play tin meddle pinch nan astir diligent of characters. Lottie Woad had played herself firmly into nan second-round operation astatine this Women’s Open astatine 5 nether par, but nan 16th astatine Royal Porthcawl was to wound backmost astatine English golf’s aureate girl.

Woad’s 2nd changeable recovered problem – it took Lydia Ko, Woad’s playing partner, to find nan shot – pinch her 3rd plaything hardly causing immoderate activity whatsoever. Woad called for a referee, positive a 2nd opinion, successful her belief that her shot was now embedded and worthy of free relief. With nan claims refused, she had to state nan shot unplayable. This grisly matter yet culminated successful a triple-bogey 7 and a information of 70 which for truthful agelong had looked for illustration further demonstrating Woad’s accelerated ascent to nan acme of her sport.

“There was a batch much bully successful it than bad,” said Woad. “I played really good for 17 holes, conscionable that 1 spread costs maine a bit.

“I deliberation it’s astir apt nan toughest spread connected nan course. The tee changeable is difficult to deed nan fairway and past you’ve sewage 3 wood into a very beardown wind. Anything that’s missing nan target is going to beryllium exaggerated. So I pushed it and sewage a beautiful unlucky lie. It wasn’t excessively heavy astir location isolated from wherever I was. So I couldn’t really do overmuch pinch that.”

Woad admitted she was disappointed that officialdom had declared that her shot was not embedded. “I conscionable had to hide astir it arsenic quickly arsenic possible,” she added. Woad missed from 4 feet for a birdie astatine nan last, meaning she remains 9 adrift of nan lead. By her ain admission, and moreover owing for nan vagaries of links, that whitethorn already beryllium excessively far.

The broader problem for Woad and each others is that Miyu Yamashita has taken rather a grip of this tournament. The Japanese player’s 65 launched her to 11 under, meaning a three-shot lead complete her compatriot Rio Takeda. Yamashita’s bogey-free information included a stunning backmost 9 of 32.

Miyu Yamashita signs autographs pursuing her 2nd information of 65. Photograph: Oisin Keniry/R&A/Getty Images

Close inspection of Yamashita’s shape intends her prominence successful Wales should beryllium nary existent surprise. While nan terrain mightiness beryllium somewhat different to what nan 23-year-old is utilized to, jousting astatine nan acme of leaderboards appears 2nd nature. She has won 13 times connected nan Japan Tour and posted 43 top-three finishes since April 2021. In this, her rookie twelvemonth connected nan LPGA Tour, she has recorded 10 top-20 finishes from 16 starts. Yamashita shares her sanction pinch a Japanese wrestler, which must lead to immoderate absorbing moments erstwhile observers are punching letters into Google. The golfing Yamashita missed nan trim successful nan Women’s Open past year. She appears connected a ngo to dress up for that.

Lindy Duncan’s 70 moved her to 4 under, wherever she has Pajaree Anannarukarn and Chiara Tamburlini for company. Madelene Sagström moved into rubbing region of nan group down Yamashita, nan Swede’s 69 meaning a three-under full astatine nan 36-hole point.

At 2 under, Porthcawl personnel Darcey Harry comfortably survived for nan weekend. “I support forgetting that this is really my location people and I’ve played it before,” she said. “I person to support reminding myself I cognize nan course, truthful I don’t cognize why I’m stressing. I conscionable person to effort to bask nan atmosphere.

“I deliberation nan first 2 days are usually nan astir nerve-racking because you want to make nan cut. Anything tin hap connected this course. You tin get successful trouble, large problem immoderate time. I decidedly deliberation coming was rather a stressful time for everyone because nan cut’s connected nan line. I tin reset for tomorrow.” World No 1 Nelly Korda, for illustration Woad and Harry, is astatine minus two.

There was a aureate infinitesimal for Steph Kyriacou, who made a hole-in-one pinch her spread wedge astatine nan 8th. “I didn’t spot it spell in, which sucked, but nan crowd went nuts,” said nan Australian. “It didn’t harm nan hole, which was surprising, truthful it was rather clean. My first charismatic spread successful 1 pinch nary asterisk. Pretty excited. I had a spread successful 1 successful a believe information before. There were witnesses, first ball, but it’s not really nan existent deal, is it? There’s footage, people, tournament, major, it counts. I deliberation everyone connected my squad is going to usage it arsenic an excuse to get drunk.”

Lilia Vu was among those to clang retired of this awesome astatine nan halfway point. Carlota Ciganda, Jennifer Kupcho and Sophia Popov, who won this title 5 years ago, did likewise.