European Solheim Cup hopefuls Lottie Woad and Charley Hull found themselves six strokes off the leading pack at the LPGA Tour's FM Championship, as their American counterpart Allisen Corpuz shared the top spot heading into the weekend. The English pair were tied for 27th place, both sitting at three‑under‑par after the first round. Woad, who had shown promise on day one, slipped back with a one‑over 73, while Hull posted a solid two‑under 70 to keep her in contention. Meanwhile, Corpuz fired a blistering 67, moving into a tie for the lead alongside Japan's rising star Miyu Yamashita and South Korea's Hyo‑Joo Kim, each sitting at nine under par.
Yamashita, fresh off a spectacular victory at the CPKC Women’s Open where she matched the tour’s 72‑hole scoring record, remained in the mix after a steady two‑under second round that kept her at nine under. Corpuz and Kim each recorded five‑under rounds on Friday, solidifying their positions near the summit.
Trailing the leaders by a single stroke were Morgane Metraux and Ruoning Yin, both carding 65s, and Jenny Bae with a 68. Nataliya Guseva and Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen were tied at seven under. First‑round leader Sei Young Kim, who opened with a remarkable 64, stumbled with a 74 on day two, dropping three strokes back. In related news, World No.
1 Nelly Korda posted her second consecutive 72‑stroke round, comfortably making the cut at the final pre‑Solheim Cup event in the Netherlands, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 11. European captain Anna Nordqvist also advanced to the weekend in what will be her last tournament before retirement, rebounding from an opening 74 with a confident 68. South African contender Casandra Alexander extended her lead at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open with a second‑round 66, moving to an impressive 15‑under for the tournament. Alexander began the event with a historic nine‑under 63 on Thursday, setting a new record for the Palmer South Course at The K Club.
She continued her aggressive play on the back‑nine, carding an eagle‑birdie‑birdie sequence on holes 10, 11, and 12. After a strong front‑nine of 32, she added another eagle on the third hole, a bogey on the sixth, and a birdie on the seventh, demonstrating her ability to bounce back after a challenging start. Alexander now leads Sara Kouskova (66) and Brianna Navarrosa (65) by five strokes. Reflecting on her performance, Alexander said, "Not as tidy as yesterday.
I left some putts right in the throat and had some awkward wedge numbers. But overall pretty good.
It was always going to be hard to follow up yesterday's round. Sometimes that's really difficult to get two days really flowing and going.
Two eagles helped the situation. Six‑under, I'm very happy." On the Irish side, Canice Screene emerged as the top Irish player, tied for eighth after a strong finish that included birdies on seven of her final twelve holes, posting a 67. Leona Maguire sat tied for 26th after another one‑under 71 round. Fans can follow the action from the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and the FM Championship throughout the weekend via Sky Sports’ live coverage, with Saturday’s broadcast starting at 2:30 pm on Sky Sports Golf.
Those interested in playing the sport can also explore booking options at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland through the platform’s search tool. Overall, the tournament week has been a showcase of emerging talent and seasoned veterans alike, with the Solheim Cup narrative adding an extra layer of excitement. As the European contingent strives to close the gap on their American rivals, the upcoming rounds promise further drama and potential shifts in the leaderboard.
The performances of Woad, Hull, and their teammates will be closely watched, especially as the Solheim Cup approaches, where every stroke could influence team confidence and momentum. Meanwhile, Korda’s steady play underscores her status as a global leader in women’s golf, and Alexander’s dominance at the Irish Open highlights the depth of competition on the LPGA Tour. The weekend’s live coverage will continue to deliver high‑quality golf action, analysis, and behind‑the‑scenes insights for fans worldwide.