https://arab.news/juyfv
- The English player carded an 8-under-par 64 on Friday to lead the field, a stroke ahead of Finland鈥檚 Sanna Nuutinen
JEDDAH: England鈥檚 Alice Hewson stormed to an 8-under-par 64 on Friday to lead at the halfway point of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF.
The 24-year-old carded six birdies on the back nine to come home in 30, a scintillating return that shaved three strokes off her career-best Ladies European Tour round. It put her top of the pile, on 9-under, with two rounds remaining at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.
鈥淚 really enjoyed my day today,鈥� said Hertfordshire-born Hewson. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 really feel like a 64. I just played every shot as it came and I putted really well. I think I only had 22 putts, so that really helps on these greens.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really put too much pressure on myself. I didn鈥檛 drive the best. I was in the rough a little bit more than I might鈥檝e liked but I was actually giving myself some good angles to be aggressive into the pins.鈥�
Asked whether heading into the weekend as leader will change her approach, Hewson said: 鈥淚 go into every single tournament with the ultimate goal to win 鈥� that鈥檚 why we play golf. The next few days I鈥檒l just go out there and enjoy it, stick to my processes and do exactly what I鈥檝e done these first two days. I can only go out there and control what I can control, and that鈥檚 my game and my processes.鈥�
Minjee Lee of Australia during round two of the Saudi Ladies International. (Supplied)
Sanna Nuutinen from Finland sits one shot behind Hewson, after following-up her opening day 71 with a 65 on Friday.
鈥淭oday I just made a lot of putts,鈥� Nuutinen said. 鈥淏all-striking wise, I made a few changes two months ago and it鈥檚 only been getting better and better.
鈥淚鈥檝e not been hitting it bad, I just haven鈥檛 made any putts for a long time, so it was nice to get the putter going again. As long as I鈥檓 always putting for birdies it鈥檚 fine, just not when I鈥檓 having to make a lot of putts for par.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a four-day event so there鈥檚 a lot of golf to play and a lot of things can happen, so I鈥檒l just stick to my process, which is trying to get better every day.鈥�
Three players 鈥� Caroline Hedwall and Linnea Strom from Sweden, and New Zealand鈥檚 Lydia Ko 鈥� are a shot further back on 7-under.
Former world No. 1 Ko, who led the field going into Friday鈥檚 round, said: 鈥淢y long game was much better today. I made some careless mistakes on the back nine but other than that I played solid.
鈥淚 could鈥檝e made some more putts but most days you feel like you could鈥檝e done better. I鈥檝e just got to keep working out there and hopefully the feel with the long game that I thought was good out there will continue into the weekend.
鈥淚鈥檝e been setting myself up with good opportunities for birdies. Continuing that and setting myself up with chances is the best I can do.鈥�
Anna Nordqvist, the Swedish three-time major winner, is on 4-under and Australia鈥檚 Minjee Lee on 3-under, with American Alison Lee and England鈥檚 Dame Laura Davies both tied with a heap of players on 2-under.
Morocco鈥檚 Maha Haddioui, the first and only Arab golfer on the Ladies European Tour, fought back from a 4-over-par opening day with a 4-under-par reverse on Friday, securing her weekend spot in a tournament where she is a firm fan favorite.
鈥淚t was great today,鈥� said Haddioui. 鈥淢y goal for today was just to play simple, not get too mad about things on the course, and it worked. It was about playing simple and staying positive.
Sanna Nuutinen sits one shot behind Hewson in second. (Supplied)
鈥淚 left quite a lot of shots out there, which is a really good thing if you shoot 4-under. I just want to take that positive energy into tomorrow and start again from scratch. I鈥檓 delighted to be here for the weekend.鈥�
She added: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 play well yesterday, despite doing everything by the book with my meditation and everything, so I was annoyed. Today, I just ignored all of that, didn鈥檛 meditate or do my workout. I just said to myself, 鈥楪o play golf and have fun鈥� 鈥� and it worked.鈥�
The $1 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund continues on Saturday and Sunday at the Royal Greens. It will be be followed from Nov. 10 to 12 at the same venue by the Aramco Team Series Jeddah, the last of four new $1 million team tournaments added to the LET this season.