England’s Charley Hull leads The ANNIKA by two shots from world No 1 Nelly Korda at the halfway stage, setting up a potential blockbuster showdown for the title over the weekend.
Hull, who clinched her seventh career win with victory at the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series – Riyadh earlier this month, carded a four-under second-round to move to 10 under.
The 28-year-old birdied two, four, 10, 13 and 14 around a sole bogey at five as she continued her push for a third trophy on the LPGA Tour and first since the Volunteers of America Classic in 2022.
Korda is looking for her seventh win of 2024 and first since May
Korda, thumped 6&4 by Hull in September’s Solheim Cup singles, is playing for the first time in seven weeks after a neck injury and well placed in her bid for a seventh victory of a dramatic 2024 season.
Korda second as she eyes seventh win of 2024
The American matched Hull’s 66 on Friday, rebounding from bogeying her opening hole by recording back-to-back birdies on her fourth and fifth holes before another gain at the eighth.
Korda then reeled off 10 pars on the trot before moving into second spot on eight under with consecutive birdies at the end of her round.
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The 26-year-old won six times in seven starts between January and May, including a record-equalling five LPGA Tour triumphs in a row, but then missed three cuts in succession, including at two majors – the US Women’s Open and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Korda finished second at the AIG Women’s Open and then fifth at the Kroger Queen City Championship, around claiming three points out of four at the Solheim Cup as she won each of her foursomes and fourballs matches before being trounced by Hull.
Hull and Korda are ahead of a four-strong group on seven-under – Alexa Pano, Jin Hee Im, Wichanee Meechai and Mi Hynag Lee – with Arpichaya Yubol outright seventh on six under, four strokes off Hull.
Watch day three of The ANNIKA, live on Sky Sports Golf from 7.30pm on Saturday. Final-round coverage is then on the same channel from 7pm on Sunday. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.