‘The wind will probably get stronger tomorrow’: Miyu Yamashita shares plans for moving day as she takes lead at the AIG Women’s Open

Miyu Yamashita leads the way at the halfway mark of the AIG Women’s Open, holding a three-shot advantage over fellow Japanese player Rio Takeda after two impressive rounds at Royal Porthcawl.

The world No. 15 backed up her opening 68 with a flawless 65 on Friday morning, making seven birdies in calm conditions to reach 11-under par. Her round was the lowest of the day and set the pace for the rest of the field.

Takeda, who had shared the lead after the first round, carded a solid 69 to sit three strokes behind Yamashita. The pair has created a clear gap at the top, with their nearest challengers sitting some distance back.

However, the conditions at Porthcawl seem to be disruptive. And thus, when asked about her lead on Friday, Miyu Yamashita said (via ASAP Sports):

“I'm still in the early group, so I don't know what will happen after this. I'm glad that today was today. The wind will probably get stronger tomorrow, so I'd like to work hard to improve my score again tomorrow.”

Miyu Yamashita mentioned that she tried to stay warm throughout the day due to the changing temperatures. She also said she was managing her caddie well and often leaned on him rather than playing entirely on her own.

Yamashita added that having a relationship built on trust gave her the confidence to face the challenge.

“I have some time until tomorrow, so I'm going to take a short break after this, have lunch, and then my dad is here, so I'd like to work on any areas I need to improve. He says my swing isn't bad, and I also want to keep my rhythm. With the wind, I'm conscious of how important it is to keep the same rhythm throughout the round.”

World No. 1 Nelly Korda and Lottie Woad, two of the pre-tournament favorites, are nine shots behind on two-under. As the weekend approaches, Yamashita’s control at the top leaves the chasing pack with work to do if they hope to close the gap.

Miyu Yamashita’s hole-by-hole performance in the first two rounds of the AIG Women’s Open

Here is a detailed look at how Miyu Yamashita has fared so far at the AIG Women’s Open.

Round 1

Front Nine (Out):

• Hole 1: 5 (bogey)
• Hole 2: 4 (par)
• Hole 3: 4 (par)
• Hole 4: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 5: 2 (birdie)
• Hole 6: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 7: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 8: 3 (par)
• Hole 9: 3 (eagle)

Back Nine (In):

• Hole 10: 4 (par)
• Hole 11: 4 (par)
• Hole 12: 3 (par)
• Hole 13: 5 (par)
• Hole 14: 4 (par)
• Hole 15: 3 (par)
• Hole 16: 4 (par)
• Hole 17: 5 (bogey)
• Hole 18: 5 (par)

Total: 68 (-4)

Miyu Yamashita's Round 2

Front Nine (Out):

• Hole 1: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 2: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 3: 4 (par)
• Hole 4: 4 (par)
• Hole 5: 3 (par)
• Hole 6: 5 (par)
• Hole 7: 4 (par)
• Hole 8: 3 (par)
• Hole 9: 4 (birdie)

Back Nine (In):

• Hole 10: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 11: 3 (birdie)
• Hole 12: 3 (par)
• Hole 13: 4 (birdie)
• Hole 14: 4 (par)
• Hole 15: 3 (par)
• Hole 16: 4 (par)
• Hole 17: 4 (par)
• Hole 18: 4 (birdie)

Total: 65 (-7)

Edited by Tushar Bahl