World No 1 Nelly Korda turns up heat in Olympic women's event

Nelly Korda, the world No 1, opened up a four-shot lead in the Olympic women’s event after showing her class with a nine-under-par 62 in the second round at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Japan.

USA's Nelly Korda during the second round of the womens event in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe. Picture: Yoshi Iwamoto/AFP via Getty Images.

On another scorching day, the 23-year-old matched her career-low round with the blistering effort.

She had a 59 in her sights playing the last only to miss her only fairway of the day and end up closing with a double-bogey.

“I just stayed really solid today,” said Korda, who earned a share of the Olympic record with Russia’s Maria Verchenova, who shot her 62 in the final round in Rio in 2016.

“On the front I was definitely hitting it better and on the back I wasn't hitting it as well but making the longer putts.”

Korda’s closest challengers are Danish duo Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Emily Kristine Pedersen, as well as India’s Aditi Ashok, with first-round pacesetter Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden fourth on eight-under.

Korda’s USA team-mate, Lexi Thompson, who is tied for 39th on one-over, played with a temporary caddie on the bag after her regular caddie, Jack Fulghum, was sidelined on Wednesday with dehydration and over-heating.

Irish duo Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow are tied for 11th on four-under, with Team GB’s Jodi Ewar Shadoff and Mel Reid both outside the top 30 on level-par and six-over respectively.

Due to the high heat, third-round play on Friday will start off the first and 10th tees at 7.30am local time.

Organisers have also conceded the event may have to be decided over 54 holes due to the weekend weather forecast.

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