Japanese duo pull ahead at Royal Porthcawl with back-to-back standout rounds
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita surged to the top of the leaderboard at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl after carding a brilliant seven-under-par 65—her best round of the week and the tournament’s lowest so far. The 22-year-old now holds a three-shot advantage at 11-under, with compatriot Rio Takeda sitting second on eight-under heading into the weekend.
Major Breakthrough in Sight
Yamashita, known for her consistency on the LPGA Tour of Japan, is seeking her first major title. Her round on Friday was marked by calm conditions and sharp ball-striking. “There was less wind for us than yesterday and I’m glad my score worked out,” she said.
Takeda, also from Japan, kept pace with a composed performance of her own. “I was able to play calmly today,” she noted. “I hope to focus on my game and do the same tomorrow.”
Local Hope Darcey Harry Relishes the Challenge
Welsh amateur Darcey Harry, competing on her home course, finished the day at level par and sits tied for 10th at two-under overall. “It was definitely an up-and-down round,” she said. “I had two doubles on the card today, which were quite stressful, but made a lot of birdies and just stayed patient.”
Harry acknowledged that local knowledge helped calm her nerves, even if the conditions made it tough. “I keep forgetting this is actually my home course. I have to keep reminding myself I know the course, so I don’t know why I’m stressing,” she said. “It’s really nice to have made the cut. Now it’s just about staying patient and allowing for mistakes—they’re going to happen out there.”
Woad Battles Through to Stay in Contention
England’s Lottie Woad joined Harry and world number one Nelly Korda at two-under after a resilient round. Woad admitted it wasn’t all smooth sailing. “There was a lot more good in it than bad,” she said. “I played really well for 17 holes. Just that one hole cost me.”
The damage came on the 16th, one of the course’s toughest. “I pushed it and got a pretty unlucky lie,” she explained. “I took an unplayable. But I knew 18 was a good birdie chance, so I just had to forget about it quickly.”
Despite the setback, Woad is optimistic. “Getting around at two-under here is still a really solid score,” she said. “It’s pretty packed, so I can move up a bit.”
Chasing Pack Keeps Pressure On
American Lindy Duncan leads the group in pursuit at four-under, while Welsh favorite Darcey Harry, in-form English player Lottie Woad, and world number one Nelly Korda are among those tied for tenth at two-under. Woad said she was pleased with most of her round: “I played really well for 17 holes. One hole just cost me.”
Rising Stars and Historic Moments
Three amateurs made the cut at two-over-par, keeping their Smyth Salver hopes alive. Spain’s Carla Bernat, Australia’s Jeneath Wong, and Paula Martin Sampedro, also from Spain, will battle it out for top amateur honors.
Australia’s Steph Kyriacou added a memorable moment by making the first hole-in-one of the championship—her first on the LPGA Tour—at the par-3 8th hole using a gap wedge from 105 yards. It marks the tournament’s first ace since 2018.
Global Field and Key Numbers
- Players from 11 different countries are represented among the top-ten and ties.
- The cut line fell at two-over-par, with 71 players advancing to the weekend.
- Notably, 21 of the previous 48 champions held or shared the lead at the halfway point. The last to convert from that position was IK Kim in 2017.
Yamashita’s track record includes 43 top-three finishes since April 2021, with two on the LPGA Tour and the rest in Japan—a testament to her steady form as she eyes her biggest title yet.