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Evian Championship – second round

-11 L Woad (Eng); -10 A Iwai (Jpn); -8 M Saigo (Jpn), Haeran Ryu (Kor); -6 C Hull (Eng), J Thitikul (Tha), M Yamashita (Jpn), Nastasia Nadaud (Fra)

Selected others: -5 A Nordqvist (Swe), M Stark (Swe); -4 L Ko (Nzl); -3 J Kupcho (US); +1 N Korda (US), A Corpuz (US); +3 C Boutier (Fra), L Maguire (Ire), M Khang (US); +5 C Ciganda (Spa)

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England’s Lottie Woad shot a seven-under 64 to take the second round lead at the Evian Championship as world number one Nelly Korda missed the cut.

Woad, who is back at the venue where she secured her LPGA Tour card 12 months ago, sits at 11 under overall. That is a stroke clear of Japan’s Aki Iwai, who had led overnight.

“I’ve got obviously nice memories from last year here and I like the golf course, so I think that definitely helps,” said Woad, who finished in a tie for third in 2025.

“I think I’ve just got slightly better in all areas. Nothing too different. I think just mentally been in these positions a bit more so I think I’m a little calmer under pressure.”

Woad knocked in eight birdies with her solitary dropped shot coming at the par-four 10th.

She followed that bogey with three successive birdies and narrowly missed an eagle putt on the par-five 18th before tapping in for a four.

However, Korda’s bid to complete a career Grand Slam in the east of France is over despite carding a round of 69 on Friday that left her at one over.

It is the first time the American has missed a cut since June 2024 and it arrives on the same day that the long and impressive run of cuts made, by the men’s top ranked player, Scottie Scheffler, also ended.

Iwai’s compatriot Mao Saigo is a further two strokes adrift along with South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, who triumphed at the Women’s PGA Championship last month.

Charley Hull, who signed for a 70 and world number two Jeeno Thitikul, are among four players in a tie for fifth at six under.

Meanwhile, a number of high profile players will be heading home alongside Korda, with the likes of Allisen Corpuz, Lilia Vu, Carlota Ciganda, Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire all failing to reach the cut line.

Woad had no such worries on Friday.

She only turned 22 in January and arrived at Evian-les-Bains, close to the Swiss border, ranked fourth in the world having only turned professional in 2025.

And with three wins to her name, she sits a place higher than her fellow Englishwoman Hull in the world rankings.

While Hull said she has adopted “a lot of the breathing techniques” after her near miss at the US Open, Woad’s secret weapon on Friday, aside from some stellar driving and iron play, was a sun umbrella to combat the scorching temperatures that climbed up to around 33°C as she went out in the afternoon wave.

“You just don’t really get much breeze. That’s the thing that makes it hot,” Woad added.

“I used a sun umbrella today and that was certainly better than yesterday. And I pretty [much] refilled [my water] every hole.”