Through 36 holes of the 2021 AIG Women’s Open, England’s Georgia Hall and American Mina Harigae were tied for the lead on 7-under par.
Hall, the 2018 AIG Women’s Open champion, shot a 69 on Friday, which featured six birdies against one bogey and a double to secure a share of the halftime lead on 7 under.
“I think it’s about time it got windy. It’s proper links golf ask that’s what people want to see and I think it makes golf much more interesting when there’s a lot of wind,” said Hall.
“So I’m quite excited to play in it. Obviously it makes it a lot harder but I think it will be a true test.”
Harigae, meanwhile, carded a 5-under 67, offsetting two bogeys with seven birdies, highlighted by a 22-foot birdie putt on the final hole to join Hall atop the leaderboard at Carnoustie.
“A couple times I got lucky with the bounces, skirting a couple bunkers,” said Harigae.
“But overall, I putted really well today so I think that contributed to my really good back nine as well.”
American Lizette Salas (69) and Korean Sei Young Kim (71) were tied for third on 6 under, one clear of a six-player logjam at 5 under, headlined by American Lexi Thompson and Pilipino Yuka Saso.
Overnight co-leaders Nelly Korda and Madelene Sagstrom struggled to 73s on Friday and fell to T12 on 4 under.
Defending AIG Women’s Open champion Sophia Popov bogeyed the final hole to finish 3-over par. The German missed the cut by two strokes.
2021 AIG Women’s Open
Top-10 Leaders: Round 2
Pos-Player-To Par-(Rd 2)
1. Mina Harigae -7 (-5)
1. Georgia Hall -7 (-3)
3. Lizette Salas -6 (-3)
3. Sei Young Kim -6 (-1)
5. Moriya Jutanugarn -5 (-5)
5. Wichanee Meechai -5 (-4)
5. Nanna Koerstz Madsen -5 (-3)
5. Yealimi Noh -5 (-3)
5. Lexi Thompson -5 (-2)
5. Yuka Saso -5 (-1)
Notables
Pos-Player-To Par-(Rd 2)
12. Brooke Henderson -4 (-3)
12. Minjee Lee -4 (-3)
12. Nelly Korda -4 (+1)
12. Madelene Sagstrom -4 (+1)
23. Anna Nordqvist -2 (-1)
23. Ariya Jutanugarn -2 (-1)
23. Nasa Hataoka -2 (E)
31. Lydia Ko -1 (-1)
31. Patty Tavatanakit -1 (E)
45. Stacy Lewis E (-1)
45. Jeongeun Lee6 E (E)
45. Atthaya Thitikul E (+1)
45. Carlota Ciganda E (+3)
58. Inbee Park +1 (+3)
58. Jessica Korda +1 (E)
Notables Missing Cut
Pos-Player-To Par-(Rd 2)
77. Sophia Popov +3 (+3)
93. Charley Hull +4 (-1)
120. Danielle Kang +7 (+3)
138. So Yeon Ryu +10 (+6)
Material from LPGA Tour Media & Communications was used to compile report.
