​Evian-les-Bains, France — In a dramatic setback for top player Nelly Korda, the defending major champion’s bid for a third consecutive major title and a fifth win overall came to an early halt after she missed the cut following the second round of the Evian Championship. As Korda fought to keep her weekend hopes alive, English standout Lottie Woad surged to the top of the leaderboard with a superb 7-under 64, taking a one-shot lead over the overnight leader Aki Iwai of Japan at the halfway mark of the event.
Korda’s day began on a rocky note with a disappointing first round score of 74, which placed her behind the pack. She steadied somewhat with a 69 in round two, but her total of 1 over par left her in a tie for 67th, just one stroke outside the cut line. This marks Korda’s second consecutive absence from the weekend at a major, following her earlier miss at the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship. Despite capturing the first two majors of the season — the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open — Korda has found Evian a challenging venue, never rising higher than eighth in this particular major in prior years.
Woad’s assault on the course featured eight birdies and a single bogey, vaulting her to 11-under par halfway through the event. Entering the day as a challenger, the 19-year-old English talent built on her momentum from the first two rounds, applying pressure on the field as she navigated the lakeside course at Evian Resort Golf Club. She sits firmly in the leading position at the midpoint of the tournament, poised to challenge throughout the weekend.
Aki Iwai, who had led by two shots at the outset on Thursday, remained in contention as play progressed, continuing to apply steady pressure on a course that can test even the best players. Iwai’s 69 on Friday helped maintain a narrow advantage over the chasing pack, with several contenders gathering steam behind her.
The competition features a line-up of some of women’s golf’s brightest stars along with emergent talents seeking their breakthrough performances at one of the five marquee majors this season. Iwai’s fellow Japanese competitor Mao Saigo and South Korean Haeran Ryu, who recently claimed the Women’s PGA Championship, each delivered 68s to stay within striking distance and sit two shots behind the leader. French golfer Perrine Delacour, who briefly led earlier in the tournament, carded a 71 that dropped her into a tie for ninth place as she tries to capitalize on home-course support and familiarity with Evian’s challenging layout.
As the Evian Championship unfolds across the lakeside venue, the field will be seeking dominant rounds that could redefine the leaderboard. The unique blend of tree-lined fairways, water hazards, and gusting winds at Evian Resort Golf Club continues to test accuracy off the tee, precision into the greens, and nerve on the tricky back nine. Players chasing early momentum will look to Woad and Iwai for inspiration while hoping Korda can rediscover her major-winning form in the rounds ahead.
With two rounds in the books, the Evian Championship is shaping up as a compelling test of skill and endurance. The midway standings have already signaled a potential shift in the season’s narrative, offering a tantalizing glimpse of who might seize the opportunity as major glory awaits over the weekend. Golf fans can expect a thrilling finish as Lottie Woad pushes to convert her early advantage into a breakthrough major title, while Iwai, Saigo, and Ryu push relentlessly in pursuit of Evian glory.