Charley Hull, Lottie Woad and world No.1 Nelly Korda all experienced a challenging first round at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, each posting scores above par as the wind roared across Dundonald Links. Meanwhile, Jenny Shin and Lauren Coughlin surged ahead, sharing the lead after carding six-under 66s in the blustery conditions. Shin and Coughlin both posted identical rounds of 66, putting them one stroke ahead of South Korea’s A Lim Kim, who finished at five under, and Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson, who recorded a four-under round.
Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist also enjoyed a solid day, finishing at two under; a couple of late bogeys kept her from joining the leaders, but she remained comfortably in contention. The afternoon wind picked up dramatically, turning the course into a true test of skill and patience. Hull was the most visibly affected, ending her round at six over par after a disastrous quadruple bogey on the par‑five fifth hole. Her trouble began right out of the gate when she missed a par putt on the opening hole, and the problems compounded on the fifth.
A tentative birdie attempt saw her ball strike a slope, tumble down a bank and settle in the rough. After three failed chip attempts, Hull finally managed to get the ball onto the green with a well‑timed wedge, but the subsequent putt, while eventually holed, cost her dearly.
Two more bogeys and a lone birdie later, her round was sealed at +6. Defending champion Lottie Woad also wrestled with the wind. She opened with three over par through the first four holes and eventually posted a 74, two over for the day.
A double bogey on the third and a bogey on the fourth set her back, though she recovered with a birdie on the fifth. The front nine proved especially unforgiving; a bogey on the eighth left her four over after nine holes. "The front nine was very difficult. The wind was pretty strong from the get‑go," Woad explained, noting she found eight of the fourteen fairways.
"The pin placements were tricky in the wind, and I just didn’t make enough putts to get under par. Two over isn’t disastrous – I’m still in it. I just tried not to play myself out of the tournament." Nelly Korda, who entered the event as the top‑ranked player, also felt the gusts but managed to finish level par. After a one‑over front nine, she turned her round around with a birdie on the par‑five 18th.
Korda, normally renowned for her precise ball‑striking, hit nine of the fourteen fairways and displayed impressive putting, sinking a 70‑foot birdie putt on the par‑three fourth and leaving an eagle putt tantalisingly close on the final hole. Georgia Hall, preparing for a return to Royal Lytham & St Annes for the 2026 AIG Women’s Open – the venue of her 2018 major triumph – endured perhaps the toughest day of the field, posting a ten‑over 82. Like Hull, Hall was battered by the conditions, suffering a quintuple bogey on the par‑five 14th, flanked by two additional bogeys.
The relentless wind and firm fairways made it difficult for her to find rhythm, and she ultimately finished ten strokes over par. While several top players struggled, Lauren Coughlin, the 2024 champion, thrived. She recorded eight birdies in her round and could have finished two strokes clear of Shin had she not missed a few short putts. "I played really solid," Coughlin said.
"It was pretty difficult out there. I’ve never played it when it’s been this firm, especially off the tee, so I had to adjust my usual driver strategy and hit a lot of different shots." The day also highlighted the strategic adjustments required in windy links golf: players had to modify club selection, aim lower trajectories, and stay patient as the wind gusted unpredictably. Many competitors noted that the pin placements, especially on the front nine, were deliberately challenging to test shot‑making under pressure. Looking ahead, round two will begin at 9:30 a.m.
on Friday, broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf. Fans can also stream the action without a contract through the NOW platform.
For those inspired to try the course themselves, booking options are available at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland. Overall, the opening round of the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open delivered a dramatic showcase of how quickly conditions can reshape a tournament.
While Shin and Coughlin seized the early advantage, the resilience shown by Hull, Woad, Korda and Hall suggests that the leaderboard could shift dramatically once the wind eases and the players settle into a rhythm. The tournament remains wide open, and the next day promises further excitement as the field battles both the elements and each other for the coveted title.