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Englishwoman Georgia Hall and American Mina Harigae share the clubhouse lead during the second round of the Women's British Open at Carnoustie.
Former champion Georgia Hall has given Nelly Korda and her challengers something to chase after claiming a share of the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the Women's British Open in Scotland.
Hall, who broke England's 14-year Open title drought at Royal Lytham in 2018, carded a three-under-par 69 in more unusually-soft scoring conditions at Carnoustie.
Hall was top of a congested leaderboard with American Mina Harigae, who birdied the last to also climb to seven under through 36 holes following a 67.
Korda said she could feel a target on her back after opening with a 67 on Thursday to share the first-round lead with Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom and South Korea's Sei Young Kim.
It didn't take long for the American's pursuers to start hunting down the world No.1 and newly-crowned Olympic champion on Friday.
Five players, including Hall, Kim and fellow major winner Lexi Thompson, moved past Korda before the pre-tournament favourite had even walked to the first tee for her afternoon start, while another five joined her at five under.
Hall's sixth birdie of the day, at the par-5 14th, vaulted the popular Englishwoman two shots clear at nine under before she slipped back to the pack with a double bogey on the next hole.
Kim, the LPGA Tour's 2020 player of the year, also briefly enjoyed the outright lead following Hall's slip-up only to bogey two of her last four holes in a round of 71.
Thompson was one ahead of Korda at six under, but still had two holes of her second round remaining.
Scottish amateur Louise Duncan, who wowed home fans with an opening-round 68, also continued to thrill with five more birdies on Friday.
The 21-year-old Stirling University student and R&A scholar also had six bogeys in her round of 73 but remains in the mix at three under.
But Korda remains the player to beat after adding Olympic gold from Tokyo to her 2021 US PGA Championship in June in what she calls "a dream season".
The 23-year-old continued her dazzling form by taming the famous Scottish links with her first-round 67.
She is a combined 87 under par for her last 21 rounds and wouldn't be fazed by giving her rivals a second-round head start.
"I'm very happy," she said after capturing the first-round lead.
"You strive to be at the top so it feels good, but you kind of know that you have a target on your back. I just have to keep positive and see how it goes."
Newly-minted major champion Minjee Lee and Su Oh were the best of the Australians entering round two, both at one under and six behind Hall before also teeing off in the afternoon wave.
Katherine Kirk and Stephanie Kyriacou were both level par, with Hannah Green one over.
