After a stellar start in the first round, South Carolina maintained its lead Tuesday at Royal Golf Club, shooting 6-under 282 and moving to 21 under for the tournament.
The Gamecocks, ranked eighth, have a three-shot lead over No. 4 Wake Forest with 18 holes to play.
“Conditions were a little bit tougher, hole locations were tougher,” South Carolina coach Kalen Anderson said. “We just stayed patient and played steady today.”
Louise Rydqvist, who held the first-round individual lead at 6 under, missed a birdie putt in the rain Tuesday to close her round, carding an even-par 72. She reminds in a big group at 6 under that’s good for T-3.
However, teammate Maylis Lamoure is now tied for the lead, along with Wake Forest’s Mimi Rhodes. Lamoure, a freshman who qualified in the fifth spot before the tournament, followed up an opening 67 with a 70.
“She’s a 17-year-old freshman,” Anderson said. “She plays within herself. She knows her game. She’s very intelligent.”
Anderson praised how sharp Lamoure is with her wedges, saying her game is the opposite of the other four bombers in the lineup. Combine that with a strong putting stroke, it’s why the 17-year-old finds herself in position for a huge victory.