Kildare’s Lauren Walsh put together a dramatic second round of four-under par at the LET Aramco Houston Championship on Saturday as round to see the 24-year-old undo the damage from the opening round and make the cut.
Walsh was on form on the front nine, making five birdies as the 2023 Division One champion was determined to make the final round. Birdies came on holes one, three, five, seven and nine as Walsh didn’t miss a single fairway.
Walsh mixed three bogeys in, but she made sure to grab a couple of more birdies on the way in to post a 68, taking her to one-under-par after 36-holes and in a tie for 49th.
Cork’s Sara Byrne also went under-par as the 24-year-old put together a one-under round but the damage of the six-over-par round one was too much, as Byrne’s weekend ended early as she finished five-over-par.
Leading the field though is Spain’s Carlota Ciganda who fired a round of eight-under-par on day two to hold a one-shot lead heading into the final day at 10-under.
The eight-time LET winner began her round with a birdie on 10 before back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14.
Ciganda then rolled in three birdies in a row on 16, 17, 18, her only blemish of the day came on the eighth, as she finished top of the leaderboard.
“I was very solid,” said Ciganda. “Every time you shoot a 64 is a great day. I started very well and made a few putts on the first few holes. I shot six-under on the front nine.”
“I wasn’t thinking too much about the result, I was trying to be present as I think that’s when the best results happen. I was nine-under through 12 or 13 holes, so it could’ve been a low one, but I bogeyed eight, so that didn’t happen,” said Ciganda.
Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz is one shot behind her compatriot Ciganda, after she fired her own round of five-under-par on day two.
“My golf game is in a good place now; I played really solid these past two days. I’m really happy and hope I can make more putts tomorrow,” said Iturrioz.
England’s Mimi Rhodes, who led after 18 holes, is in third place on eight-under-par after a second round of two-under.
“I played quite a lot better today, but the putts didn’t drop, and I had a disappointing end on the last, but I managed to hole the putt [for bogey],” said Rhodes, who is leading the LET Order of Merit.
In the 32-hole teamed event, Team Kouskova secured a one-stroke victory winning with a score of 32-under-par at Golfcrest Country Club.
The quartet of Sara Kouskova, Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen, April Anguarasaranee and Ana Belac began the day in a share of fourth place on 14-under-par.
This is a third Team victory for Kouskova, who also captained her side to success at the 2025 Aramco Korea Championship earlier this year.
“It’s been another absolutely amazing two days with super players and I have enjoyed it so much,” said captain Kouskova. “I’m incredibly proud of my team,” she added.
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