Evian (France) (AFP) – Lottie Woad found her range on Friday as she birdied five of the last eight holes for a seven-under par second round and a one-shot lead at the Evian Championship. In the fourth of the women’s season’s five majors, overnight leader Aki Iwai, who at one stage had increased her lead to five strokes, ended the round one behind in second.
A second Japanese golfer, Mao Saigo, and South Korean Ryu Hae-ran, winner of the PGA in June, were two shots further back tied for third, with four more players tied for fifth another two shots back. American Nelly Korda, who won the other two women’s majors this season, missed the cut by one stroke as she followed a three-over first round with a one-under par 69.
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As temperatures soared into the mid-30s again on the shores of Lake Geneva, Woad kept her ball in play as she made three birdies on the outward line and responded to her only bogey, on the 10th, with birdies at the next three holes on her way to a 64. “I hit a lot of fairways and greens, which is definitely the key round here,” she said. “If you get in trouble off the tee it can be pretty difficult, so (I’ve) just been trying to hit my lines, and know how important that is.”
The 22-year-old Englishwoman was runner up at the Evian last season. “I’ve got obviously nice memories from last year here and I like the golf course, so I think that definitely helps,” she said. Iwai opened the day with birdies on the first two holes. She had boosted her lead to five strokes when she made a double-bogey on the sixth. She steadied with three birdies on the back nine before a bogey on 17 handed Woad the lead. Iwai finished with a two-under 69 but took the positives from her round.
“Today also I gave (myself) many birdie chances,” said Iwai. “I got five birdies, and then my swing was smooth. Yep, pretty good.” The day ended with four Japanese women in the top 10. “This course is not that long, I think the player who has a good skill could make a very good round,” said Saigo by way of explanation after her round.
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