World number one amateur Lottie Woad fired a round of 67 (-6) to hold a three-shot lead at the midway mark of the 2025 KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
The 21-year-old sat in share of third place overnight after opening with a 68 (-5) on the O’Meara Course at Carton House.
Woad began from tee 10 on a gusty day in Ireland and made her first birdie on hole 13 before adding further birdies at 15 and 17.
On her back nine, the English star made birdies at the first, fifth and seventh before her only dropped shot on the eighth, but she bounced back immediately with a birdie at the ninth to lead with a score of 11-under-par.
“It definitely feels good, it played tougher than yesterday,” said Woad. “We thought because we played in the afternoon yesterday it might be a bit calmer this morning, but it wasn’t. I played pretty well.
“The wind was pretty strong on the final few holes around seven, eight, nine. It was quite a tough stretch, and I was trying to get in as quickly as possible. Eight was quite a tough hole, I was between clubs and the next club wouldn’t have got there and that club wouldn’t stop, and I could have chipped off the green from there, so I was being a bit careful.
“I’m happy with the first two days. I’m playing pretty solidly, and everything is feeling pretty good. It’s definitely a bit different in a professional tournament, but I’ve had a lot of experience. I’ve played in a lot of majors, so I know how to deal with it and I’m trying to look at staying in contention and I’ll see where it puts me.”
Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini sits in solo second place on eight-under-par after a second round of 71 (-2) in Ireland.
The 2024 LET Order of Merit winner began with birdies on the first and third holes before back-to-back bogeys on four and five.
On the back nine, the three-time LET winner made birdies on 10 and 16 before a bogey on 17, but she finished in style with a tap-in birdie at the last to be three shots behind leader Woad.
“It was actually quite brutal, I think the course is still fair because it’s not super firm,” said Tamburlini. “You can play well with the wind we had. It was definitely tough; I was talking to Madelene [Sagström] walking down 18 and we were both saying it’s the windiest it’s been since the AIG Women’s Open last year.
“It was definitely a good challenge testing ball-striking and also confidence in putting because it’s tough on the putts as well. I think I had to replace my ball twice because it moved after marking it, so definitely a good challenge.
“Especially on the back nine, you have 14 and 15, which are a bit lower so you can’t feel the wind and then on 17 you’re really protected by the trees on your second shot, but once you get to 30 yards in front of the green the wind really hits the ball.
“It’s quite tricky because there are a couple of big trees, so you’re protected at times. It ended up being quite consistent in direction, but just not feeling it makes it difficult to trust it. The birdie at 18 was really good. After an upsetting three-putt on 17, so to finish with a tap-in birdie was really nice.”
Four players share third place with Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley, England’s Charley Hull, Sweden’s Madelene Sagström and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey all on seven-under-par.
Rudgeley carded a round of 68 (-5) with birdies at the first, second, fifth, seventh, 14th and 15th as well as one dropped shot on the ninth.
“I played really well the whole way through,” said the Australian. “It was really tough, at some points there were three or four-club winds, but I kept my head in it and hit the ball in the right spots considering the wind. I rolled the ball really nicely, it was an enjoyable day.
“That wind is pretty hefty, but I do enjoy shaping the golf ball. You need to strike the ball well when it’s windy like that. I enjoyed it, but at some points I didn’t. When you get to the top of the hill near the little castle, it’s blowing out there. Even our eighth hole, the ball was moving on the green but that’s Irish golf, so we go again.
“During the time of not so good results, I was working on a few things. It just happens, golf is a funny game, and I’m here, so we will see how the rest of the week goes.”
Two players are in a tie for seventh place with Alexandra Swayne of the U.S. Virgin Islands and England’s Hannah Screen both on six-under-par.
Speaking of her first two days, Swayne said: “It was nothing spectacular, we had to deal with a lot of the elements with the wind and some rain yesterday. I was quite happy to be first off in each wave; I had a lot of fun with my caddie, seeing a few good shots. It went well.
“Golf and life outside of golf has been interesting. I’ve been a little bit frustrated because I was putting really well and hitting well and it wasn’t all coming together, but I’m happy to see that it has now come together. I still need to work on putting and making sure I keep it together.”
Five players are one shot further back in T9 including LET winner Anne-Charlotte Mora, who fired a round of 67 (-6).
“The eagle was on my first hole, which was downwind, and I got it onto the green in two and made the putt of four metres for eagle,” said the Frenchwoman. “It was a good start, which gave me some confidence at the start of the round. Then I just played my game and made some other putts.
“I was so prepared for the wind and I was frustrated for the wind with some of my driving and some of my shots that I wasn’t committed, so today I said I’m going to be committed no matter the wind. I guess it helped and wearing pink helped me too.”
It was Pink Friday on the golf course today with players, caddies, and spectators encouraged to wear pink in support of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, the charity partner of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
The cut fell at +2 with 69 players making it through to the weekend. Round three will begin at 7.30 am (local time) with the leaders teeing off at 11.50 am at Carton House.
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