Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, representing Europe in the Solheim Cup, found themselves six strokes behind the leaders at the LPGA Tour's FM Championship, where 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, after a promising start, slipped to a one‑over 73, while Hull posted a solid two‑under 70, leaving them both well off the pace.
Corpuz, however, fired a brilliant 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 victory the previous week on the LPGA Tour, continued to demonstrate why she is a force to be reckoned with.
She recorded a two‑under second round, which kept her at nine under, while both Corpuz and Kim posted five‑under rounds on Friday, solidifying their positions near the top of the leaderboard. Other notable performances included Morgane Metraux and Ruoning Yin, both carding 65s, and Jenny Bae with a 68, each just a stroke behind the leaders. Nataliya Guseva and Emily Kristine Pedersen were tied at seven under, showing depth in the field. First‑round leader Sei Young Kim, after an opening 64, faltered with a 74 on day two, dropping three strokes back.
In related news, World No. 1 Nelly Korda recorded 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 starting September 11.
European captain Anna Nordqvist, playing her last tournament before retirement, also advanced to the weekend. The Swedish veteran recovered from an opening 74 with an impressive 68, demonstrating her experience and resilience.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Casandra Alexander extended her lead at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open with a second‑round 66, moving to an astonishing 15‑under‑par. She began the tournament with a record‑setting nine‑under 63 on Thursday at the Palmer South Course at The K Club, and continued to impress with an eagle‑birdie‑birdie stretch on holes 10 through 12. After a front‑nine of 32, she added a second eagle on the third hole, a bogey on the sixth, and a birdie on the seventh, showcasing a blend of aggressive play and strategic recovery.
Alexander now sits five strokes ahead of Sara Kouskova (66) and Brianna Navarrosa (65). Reflecting on her performance, Alexander said, “It wasn’t as tidy as yesterday. I left a few putts short and had some awkward wedge numbers, but overall it was a good round.
It’s always tough to follow up a spectacular day, but the two eagles helped a lot. I’m six‑under and very happy with that.” On the Irish front, Canice Screene emerged as the top Irish contender, tied for eighth after a remarkable finish that included birdies on seven of her final twelve holes, posting a 67. Leona Maguire, another Irish hopeful, was tied for 26th after another one‑under‑par 71. Fans can continue to follow the drama of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and the FM Championship throughout the weekend via Sky Sports’ live coverage.
The action will resume on Saturday at 2:30 pm on Sky Sports Golf, with streaming options available through NOW without a contract. For those looking to experience the game firsthand, bookings are open at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland. To find a venue, simply enter a course name, city, or postcode on the booking platform. Overall, the tournament has highlighted the global nature of women’s golf, with players from Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa all vying for top honors.
The performances of Woad and Hull, while not yet at the front of the pack, demonstrate the depth of talent on the European side and set the stage for an exciting Solheim Cup showdown. As the weekend progresses, the leaderboard will likely shift, with Corpuz, Yamashita, and Kim aiming to maintain their advantage, while others such as Metraux, Yin, and Bae look to close the gap. The combination of seasoned veterans and emerging stars promises a compelling narrative for fans and a competitive field as the season moves toward its climax.