2024 AIG Women's Open: Nelly Korda impresses with second-round 68 to seize outright lead at St. Andrews

A fast start to 2024 could be met with a fast finish for Nelly Korda at this week's AIG Women's Open. Beginning the last major championship of the season with back-to-back rounds of 68, the world No. 1 heads into the weekend at St. Andrews in full control of the tournament amid a week where control has been hard to come by.

When Korda walked off the golf course Friday morning at 8 under, she saw herself in possession of a three-stroke lead over Lilia Vu and Charley Hull.

With high winds and pestering rain laced throughout the forecast at the Old Course, players have been forced to deal with more than just major championship nerves. Stingers, slinging draws, fairway woods from 150 yards have all been seen as artistry and creativity have been not an added bonus, but rather a requirement from players through two rounds.

"I think just this year in general, I've won on just so many different types of grasses in different types of conditions that you just kind of always have to adapt," Korda said. "That's the same thing in tennis, same thing in life. You're always adapting to your situations at hand, and I think that's what's so fun about links golf is you're literally starting it 30 yards left of your target, and I'm not a fade player, but I'm hitting massive fades. I think it's fun hitting these little low drivers, too. I'm having fun, and I enjoy links golf a lot. Obviously, every year that I get to play it, I learn a little bit more about it, too."

Korda has looked comfortable thus far with just one bogey across her first 36 holes and nine birdies along the way. The second of her strolls around the Old Course started on the back nine and saw her surge to the top thanks to back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17-18 for the second straight day.

Two more circles on her scorecard during the second nine were enough to balloon her lead to three as she searches for her second major this season and third of her career.

After a historic start to her 2024 campaign that saw her claim six victories in her first eight starts, including the Chevron Championship for what was her fifth straight win at the time, Korda has cooled considerably. Major championships have been somewhat of a disappointment as she opened with an 80 at the U.S. Women's Open and closed with an 81 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship en route to missed cuts in both.

Her gold medal defense in Paris had promise until it didn't as the American fell out of medal contention on the final day with a closing 75 at Le Golf National. A topsy-turvy week filled with big numbers, Korda has since cleaned up her game. A new mallet putter in the bag can take some of the credit, but the majority should go to the woman whose willingness to adapt has led her to this point and could lead her to another major title come Sunday.

"I'm just trying to stay very present and not think about anything other than one shot at a time," Korda said. "And whatever golf and links golf throws at me, I'm going to take it head on."