Charley Hull, Lottie Woad and world No. 1 Nelly Korda all encountered a demanding opening day on the links at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, each finishing under par after battling fierce winds and tricky pin placements. While the two American contenders, Jenny Shin and Lauren Coughlin, posted spectacular six‑under‑par rounds of 66 to share the lead, the British and European players struggled to find consistency amid the blustery conditions. Shin and Coughlin’s performances set the tone for a tightly packed leaderboard.

Both women carded identical scores of 66, which placed them a single stroke ahead of South Korea’s A Lim Kim, who posted a five‑under‑par round, and Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson, who was four under. Their composure in the wind, combined with precise iron play and aggressive putting, allowed them to capitalize on scoring opportunities that many of their peers missed. Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist also enjoyed a strong start, finishing her opening round at two under par.

A couple of late bogeys on the final three holes prevented her from joining the leaders, but her overall play demonstrated that she can still compete at the highest level. The wind began to pick up in the afternoon, turning the course into a true test of skill and patience. Hull’s round was a vivid illustration of how quickly fortunes can change on a windy day. She opened with a mis‑hit on the first tee, failing to reach the green in regulation and eventually finding herself six over par after a disastrous quadruple‑bogey on the par‑five fifth hole.

The trouble began when a tentative birdie putt on the fifth slipped off a slope, rolled into the rough, and forced Hull to chip three times before finally getting the ball back onto the green. Though she managed to sink the subsequent putt, the damage was already done, and she added two more bogeys and a solitary birdie to finish at +6. Lottie Woad, the defending champion, also felt the brunt of the gusts.

She started the day three over after the first four holes and eventually posted a 74 (+2). A double bogey on the third and a bogey on the fourth set a difficult rhythm, though she recovered with a birdie on the fifth. The front nine proved especially unforgiving, with another bogey on the eighth pushing her to four over at the turn.

"The front nine was very difficult. The wind was pretty strong from the get‑go," Woad explained, noting that she found only eight of fourteen fairways. She added, "It pretty much stayed the same all day. There were a few interesting pin placements on the front nine with the wind, and it was tough to get it close.

I didn't make enough putts to really be under par. But for me, two over is not disastrous.

I'm still going to be in it. A day of not trying to play yourself out of it, really." Nelly Korda, meanwhile, displayed the resilience that has made her the current world number one. After a modest one‑over front nine, she turned the tables on the back nine, birdieing the par‑five 18th to finish at even par.

Korda’s accuracy off the tee remained impressive—she found nine of fourteen fairways—while her short game shone, highlighted by a spectacular 70‑foot birdie putt on the par‑three fourth and an eagle‑chance putt that fell just short on the final hole. Georgia Hall, who is gearing up for a return to Royal Lytham & St Annes for the 2026 AIG Women’s Open—where she captured her only major in 2018—had a particularly rough day, posting a 10‑over‑par 82.

Like Hull, Hall struggled with the wind, succumbing to a quintuple‑bogey on the par‑five 14th that was sandwiched between two additional bogeys. Her round underscored how even seasoned players can be humbled by the elements. In contrast, 2024 champion Lauren Coughlin seemed to thrive. She racked up eight birdies in her 66, and at one point she could have finished two strokes clear of Shin.

Coughlin commented on the day’s difficulty: "I played really solid. It was pretty difficult out there. I've never really played it when it's been this firm, especially off the tee, so quite a few different things off the tee than normal where I used to be able to hit driver a lot of places." Her adaptability to the firm, windy conditions allowed her to stay ahead of the pack. Overall, Thursday’s round highlighted the unpredictable nature of links golf.

Players who could keep their ball flight low, manage the wind, and stay patient with their putting reaped the rewards, while others were punished for even minor mis‑steps. The leaderboard remains tightly packed, with Shin and Coughlin sharing the top spot, Kim and Pettersson close behind, and a host of big‑name competitors hoping to recover in round two. Fans can catch the second round live on Sky Sports Golf starting at 9:30 a.m.

on Friday, with streaming options available for those without a contract. The tournament continues to draw attention not only for the elite field but also for the dramatic weather that makes the Scottish links a true test of golfing skill and mental toughness.