Kildare’s Lauren Walsh posted another level-par 72 around El Camaleon Golf Course to see her into the weekend as she sits T41 heading into round three of the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba.
Walsh struggled for birdies in the Caribbean wind on her front nine as she took the turn at two-over after back-to-back bogeys at the fifth and sixth to take the 25-year-old to two-over and on the cutline.
With a big back nine coming up, Walsh started well with a birdie at the par-4 11th to give herself some breathing room. It was safe golf from there until the par-5 18th – where Walsh made four to take her back to even-par.
After a three-over-par first round, Antrim’s Stephanie Meadow needed an under-par second round score and unfortunately, that didn’t come.
Starting her round on the back nine, Meadow struggled to settle in early – making two bogeys, two birdies and a double bogey in her opening seven holes. A birdie at the par-5 18th was vital for Meadow if she was to have any hope of staying inside the cutline and the 34-year-old made sure she got it as she took the turn at one-over for the day.
Meadow was hoping that the birdie at the 18th would ignite something but that never came, as she made three bogeys and two birdies on the way back to the clubhouse, posting a two-over-par 74 – taking her to five-over for the week and beyond the two-over-par cutline.
Nelly Korda and Brianna Do share the 36-hole lead as both Americans sit at nine-under-par.
Korda did well to keep out of trouble and post a bogey-free five-under-par 67. Korda is in fine form coming from her major win at last weeks Chevron Championship – her second win of the year and her third major championship.
“Overall just a solid day. You know, didn’t make any mistakes really. If I did, I bounced back really well,” said the World No.1. “Drive it straight, hit it close, and make putts,” she added.
Do posted a three-under-par 69 to take her to nine-under, picking up right where she left off on Thursday, going out in 33 on the back nine to build an early cushion before finishing off a steady round on the front.
“I think I just carried the momentum over until today,” Do said. “I started with two birdies on 10, 11, my first two holes, and that really got things going,” said Do.
Speaking on the conditions, Do said;”Maybe just the course being a little more demanding off the tee — it keeps you in the whole time, just concentrating a lot over every shot and trying to get the best out of my game.”
Holding onto the momentum of her hole-in-one in the first round, Melanie Green sits in solo third after a two-under-par second round. The 24-year-old had a strong finish on Friday to see herself well within contention.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez posted a one-under-par round to see her inside the top-10 on five-under.
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