Nelly Korda Surges Ahead in Women's British Open at St Andrews

Nelly Korda extended her lead in the Women's British Open with a flawless second round, scoring 68 in challenging weather at St Andrews. Despite windy and rainy conditions, she managed four birdies to go eight-under overall. Charley Hull, Lilia Vu, Yin Ruoning, and others trail closely for the weekend showdown.

Nelly Korda moved three shots clear of an illustrious field after Friday's second round of the women's British Open on the Old Course at St Andrews, where the world number one carded a blemish-free 68 in wet and gusty conditions.

Korda was among the early starters and she stormed into the clubhouse lead and stayed there with another round of 68. This time she did not make any bogeys, and with a new 'Spider' putter in her bag, the American sank four birdies -- including two long putts on the 17th and 18th -- to go into the weekend at eight-under overall after dealing with wind and rain on the links course.

"Yesterday it was brutally windy throughout the range session until about probably 16," Korda said. "Then today, it was raining a good bit during my range session and then it was up until probably my second or third hole. It was pretty calm the front nine and then once we got to 18 and number one, that's when it started pumping.

Overnight leader Charley Hull carded a superb five-under-par 67 in windy conditions on Thursday but struggled with her putting, making three bogeys before recovering with three birdies to save par. She is tied for second with defending champion and world number two Lilia Vu, who carded 70, but remains confident of catching Korda over the weekend.

China's Yin Ruoning moved up to fourth with a closing birdie on the 18th to sit four strokes behind Korda. Olympic champion Lydia Ko is tied for fifth at three-under along with South Africa's Casandra Alexander and Swedish amateur Louise Rydqvist. Catriona Matthew, the only Scot to win the British Open in 2009, made her final appearance at the event, bowing out with a birdie and pausing on the Swilcan Bridge to receive applause.

(With inputs from agencies.)