ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Nelly Korda appears to have returned to her dominant form in the home of golf.

The top-ranked American also braved the stormier conditions at St. Andrews to shoot a bogey-free 4-under-par 68 in the second round on Friday to take a three-shot lead in the Women’s British Open.

Korda won the first women’s major tournament of 2024 – the Chevron Championship in April – and is on track to win the last one as well. She has also won five more titles in a year in which she has cemented her status as the best player in women’s tennis, even if she has lost her best performance in recent months.

Worse for Korda’s rivals is that she is also warming to links golf.

“I’ve won this year in general on so many different types of grass and in so many different conditions that you just have to keep adapting,” said Korda, who finished the tournament at 8 under par. “It’s the same in tennis, it’s the same in life.”

“You’re always adapting to the situation and I think that’s what makes links golf so fun – you literally start 30 yards to the left of your target and I’m not a fader player but I hit massive fades. I also find it fun to hit those little low drivers. I enjoy it and I really enjoy links golf.”

Korda played her first two rounds with defending champion Lilia Vu and England’s Charley Hull, a crowd favorite competing in her home major, and the star group lived up to expectations.

Hull, who had led the previous night by one stroke after a first round of 67, shot even par and was tied for second place at 5 under par with Vu, who shot 70.

On a day when the wind was not quite as brutal as the first, they lost to Korda, but Hull went into the weekend optimistic.

“Only three shots behind – that’s nothing for the weekend, especially on this golf course,” said 10th-seeded Hull, who is seeking her first major title. “I missed a lot of putts. I think Nelly had 30 putts and I had 36 putts. So that’s six putts I lost on the green against her.”

Former University of Arkansas golfer Gaby Lopez shot a 75 on Friday and is 3-over 147. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) missed the cut after a second-round score of 76 and a total score of 12-over 156.

Ruoning Yin, last year’s winner of the Women’s PGA Championship from China, shot 72 and was alone in fourth place at 4 under par.

Olympic champion Lydia Ko shot a 70 and was one of six players at 3 under par at the halfway point – five strokes behind the leader. Also in that group was Swedish amateur Louise Rydqvist, who shot a 67.

Players who missed the cut included No. 3 Jin Young Ko (10 over), No. 5 Hannah Green (7 over), a two-time major winner, No. 13 Minjee Lee (9 over) and No. 14 Lauren Coughlin (6 over), who won two of her last three starts, including the Scottish Open last week.

After two windy days on the Old Course, only 20 players were under par after 36 holes. Calmer weather is forecast for the weekend.

Korda started one stroke behind Hull, who bogeyed two of her first five holes after the group began on hole 10, and fell further behind when the American holed long putts and made birdies on holes 17 and 18 for the second consecutive day.

Playing with a new putter, Korda made another birdie on the par-5 fifth hole, then needed two putts from the fringe to make birdie on the ninth hole after nearly reaching the green. Vu and Hull also made birdie on the final hole, leaving them three shots behind.

Korda looks set to surpass her previous best finish at the Women’s British Open – ninth in 2019 – which is her only top-10 finish at the major.

“I just try to stay completely present and not think about anything other than one shot,” said Korda, who has won two majors. “And whatever golf and links golf has in store for me, I’m going to tackle it head on.”