Nelly Korda
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Our reporter from St. Andrews Sean Zak is at the AIG Women's Open this week. Here he goes with his regional partner Dylan Dethier on Nelly Korda's lead, Lexi Thompson's meeting, the unknown DQ of the rookie and more.
Dylan Dethier, senior GOLF writer: Hello, Sean. We are back.
Sean Zak, also a senior writer for GOLF: We're back!
DD: Day 2 in St. Andrews and there are a lot we continue. Stars in the mix. The stars go home. The stars have been dangling due to miraculous cuts. Let's get straight to it.
SZ: Hit me.
DD: You were out there early with the super-powered team of Nelly Korda, Charley Hull and Lilia Vu. Those are the top three names on the leaderboard! (Korda is eight under, and Hull and Vu are T2 at five under.) I don't know if I've seen that in the second round in the majors. You wrote about Nelly's round here, but tell me in one sentence: How do you build three shots?
SZ: To answer that, I go back to the last round of the Olympics. He walked into the driving range and a fan yelled, “Hey Nelly, it's a good day to be a ballplayer!” They were right. It was windy, the course was tough, it was tough as hell. And while it didn't work for him that day, it's working for him here. After that round, he pointed to ball-striking. This week? So far, his batting has been excellent.
Who is Nelly Korda? Never get into trouble. Hitting it up to 30 feet when the gun needs it. Never three. There's a lot of attention on his putter right now, but I think his key to success is avoiding pot holes and carving good iron shots in this wind. A lot of ladies are uncomfortable out there, but you made it look smooth. That's more than one sentence, but you get the idea.
DD: If one sentence is good I think more is better. Who is the crowd favourite: Korda or Hull?
SZ: Can I pass? Only because I think it's both. Lilia Vu is the one defending the title and in their team it is clear that a lot of love goes to Nelly and Charley. If you're going for it I'm picky, I think there's a lot of electricity at Hull, but Nelly is the best and at some point the crowd will go down with the all time winner in the all time place.
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DD: Linn Grant had one of the best rounds of the afternoon going into Friday (he got to four under before doubling 17 and finishing with a 71). Not only does Grant have one of the game's best transitions – he's also rocked high tops and big white earmuffs. Athletic chic meets, I dunno, winter EDM concert.
Are you in or out of this look?
SZ: I really like Linn Grant but I don't really know about this. Today was better than yesterday, when she was rocking a hot red sweater underneath, but when I see tank tops I struggle to see anything but boxing shoes. In fairness, he's in full conflict with Mother Nature right now, so if the Code Chaos grips work for him, why not?
DD: I was here wondering if we were going to watch the final round of the major league championship of Lexi Thompson's retirement season. Then he started making birds. Then blocked one OB at No. 17. But then he met to cut. Anything notable and audible from Lexi this week? And how amazing was that evening meeting?
SZ: I think a round like Lexi's today is exactly why retirement is going to haunt her for a long time. He may want more in life than a golf tournament, but there's still something about the rivalry, as we've seen this summer. I went with her for a good bit Thursday and she is just like the Lexi we have known for a long time. He has such strength inside the ropes, beating many of the best players in the world, and he has such strength and grace outside the ropes, too, when he's around the fans. After the cut, I wonder if you will stop any kind of wave at the Swilcan Bridge this weekend.
6 hour sessions?! 4 teams on a tee?! How the Women's Open became a slogan
Sean Zak
DD: LPGA player Ana Pelaez Trivino was ejected Friday after a friend used a distance measuring device on both No. 10 and No. . I know the LPGA uses rangefinders, but still — you can't do that! How did this happen?! Are you compassionate?
SZ: Similarity, maybe? Like going into every tournament and seeing the same notes from the tournament officials and the same rules on the cork board and the same announcement on the tee boxes. You get a sense of similarity, I guess? I'm not sure how it happened, but my instinct is to come up with an excuse for my fellow looper. We cards stand together. You should know this.
DD: I stand with you. When one caddy turns we all do. Finally: With 36 holes to play and the lead at 8 under par, how far back is too far?
SZ: I will last a lot more people playing this than you might think. The world's best player leads by three, but he has had a strange summer and is yet to find trouble this week. So let's say the lead is just under five. I think five under can win this tournament, so whoever shoots consecutive 69s in the top group gets into the playoffs. Anyone worse than one over is out.
DD: Good news for us: we are still doing well. Thank you friends. Good Friday.
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