English amateur Lottie Woad carded a superb six-under 67 to hold a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the 2025 KPMG Women’s Irish Open, with Charley Hull tied for third four strokes back.
Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini sits in solo second place on eight under after a second-round 71 on the O’Meara Course at Carton House, while Hull is joined by Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley, Sweden’s Madelene Sagström and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey in a share of third one shot further back.
The 21-year-old Woad, starting her second round on the 10th tee, made her first birdie on the 13th hole before gaining further strokes on the 15th, 17th, first, fifth and seventh.
The world No 1 amateur carded her only bogey of the day at the eighth, but bounced back immediately with a birdie at nine to lead with a score of 11-under-par.
“The wind was pretty strong on the final few holes around seven, eight, nine. It was quite a tough stretch, and I was trying to get in as quickly as possible,” Woad said after her table-topping second round.
“I’m happy with the first two days. I’m playing pretty solidly, and everything is feeling pretty good. It’s definitely a bit different in a professional tournament, but I’ve had a lot of experience.
“I’ve played in a lot of majors, so I know how to deal with it and I’m trying to look at staying in contention and I’ll see where it puts me.”
Adding further English interest on the top page of the leaderboard is Hannah Screen, who sits six under tied for seventh with Alexandra Swayne of the US Virgin Islands.
England’s Mimi Rhodes slipped off the pace a touch on Friday after posting a 75 for her second round
Screen had started the second round in a tie for third alongside Woad and Mimi Rhodes, who returned a disappointing round of 75 to fall behind her compatriots.
England’s Georgia Hall also found the going difficult on Friday, a round of 76 dropping her back to one over par for the week alongside, among others, her Solheim Cup team-mate and Irish star Leona Maguire.
The women’s major season continues next month at the Amundi Evian Championship, live from July 10-13 on Sky Sports Golf, where Ayaka Furue is defending champion. Not got Sky? Stream the PGA Tour and more with no contract.
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