Jenny Shin surged ahead on Friday at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, establishing a comfortable five‑stroke lead after a solid second round on the wind‑swept fairways of Dundonald Links. While Shin was busy extending her advantage, fellow competitors Lottie Woad, Charley Hull and Nelly Korda continued to wrestle with the challenging breezy conditions that have defined the tournament so far.
Co‑leader Lauren Coughlin, who had been sharing the overnight top spot with Shin at six under par, encountered a rough stretch on the front nine, posting a two‑over‑par nine‑hole score before steadying herself to finish the round at even par. That effort left her at four under through the first 36 holes, a respectable position but well behind Shin’s dominant showing. Shin’s round began with a setback – a bogey on the opening hole – but she quickly regained composure, drawing on the momentum generated by her spectacular opening‑round 66.
She carded a five‑under‑par 67 on Friday, matching the tone of her first day and widening the gap to a full five strokes ahead of second‑place holder Esther Henseleit, who stood at 11 under after her own impressive play. "I made birdies when I could and tried really hard not to make any three‑putts," Shin explained after finishing her round, noting how closely she mirrored her first‑day 66. "I have never had a five‑shot lead before.
I’m going to try and stay patient over the next two days. It is links golf." Henseleit, who started her round on the back nine, climbed into solo second place by stringing together birdies on holes 16 and 17 and then sealing an eagle on the par‑five third. Those aggressive moves lifted her to six under after 36 holes, keeping her within striking distance if she can maintain that level of play.
The cut was set at six over par. Charley Hull, after a disappointing 78 in the opening round, found herself teetering on the cut line heading into day two. Nevertheless, she managed to steady her game, posting a one‑under‑par 71 that featured four birdies and three bogeys.
That effort secured her place for the weekend, leaving her at five over after two rounds. Hull’s compatriot and close friend Georgia Hall, however, was unable to recover from a disastrous first‑round 10‑over‑par. A second‑day performance that added six bogeys and only two birdies pushed her total to 14 over, resulting in a missed cut.
Defending champion Lottie Woad displayed a markedly improved second day. After a first‑round 2‑over, she began the round with a double bogey on the 12th but quickly rebounded, posting consecutive birdies on holes 14 and 15. A bogey on 16 was followed by another birdie on 17, showcasing her resilience. "It was pretty windy at the start," Woad said.
"I made an early double, so I dropped two there, obviously. Hit some really nice iron shots for the rest of the day, fairways and greens." Woad’s turn at the halfway point was two over, but birdies on holes 3 and 5 brought her back to even par.
She admitted that her putting was not up to her standards: "I didn’t really make any putts, to be honest. I could have shot a lot better, but I was much happier with how I hit it today compared to yesterday." World No. 1 Nelly Korda entered the day at even par but slipped to four over after a turbulent finish.
Starting on the back nine, Korda had been two under through the first six holes before a bogey on 16 and a double bogey on 17 derailed her round. Although she managed a birdie on the fifth, a string of four consecutive bogeys on the final holes forced her to post a 76, leaving her at four over par overall. Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist also saw her leaderboard position tumble. After opening with a two‑under‑par round, she struggled on Friday, carding a seven‑over‑par 79 that dropped her to five over after 36 holes.
The tournament continues to test the field’s ability to adapt to the fickle Scottish links, where wind, firm ground and deep bunkers demand strategic shot‑making and mental toughness. With Shin holding a sizable lead, the next two days will be a battle for the chasers to close the gap while she aims to stay composed and avoid costly mistakes. Fans can catch round three live on Sky Sports Golf beginning at 7:30 a.m.
on Saturday, and those interested in streaming can explore NOW’s golf coverage options. The ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open remains a highlight on the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule, promising more drama as the field navigates the iconic Dundonald Links.