Nelly Korda credits equipment change after taking 36-hole Women's Open lead

Nelly Korda credited her new putter after she took the 36-hole lead at the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews. 

Korda began the second round of the major at the home of golf trailing England's Charley Hull by one stroke. 

After the conclusion of the second round, the American world number one leads the field by three after carding a 4-under 68. 

The American was faultless on Friday morning, carding birdies at 5, 9, 17 and 18. 

Hull battled her way to a level par 72, making three birdies and three bogeys. 

"It's behaving really well," Korda told Sky Sports of her new flatstick. 

She said she put in into her bag this Wednesday before the pro-am and decided to stick with it. 

"It just felt really nice," she said. "I just like like I needed a change up and something new. 

"It felt really nice coming off the face and it's been working."

Korda began the year in blistering form with five consecutive victories on the LPGA Tour. 

She finished in a tie for seventh when she tried to go for six in a row at the Cognizant Founders Cup.

But a week later she returned to the winner's circle at the Mizuho Americas Open. 

Since then Korda has been struggling massively with her game. 

She missed two major championship cuts, shooting an 80 in the opening round of the U.S. Women's Open and and 81 in the second round of the Women's PGA Championship which reduced her to tears on the course.

But she appears to have turned a corner here. 

Korda currently has two major titles. 

The aforementioned Hull is searching for her first major championship victory. 

She finished runner-up in both the Women's Open and U.S. Women's Open in 2023. 

Related: 

• How much they're playing for at AIG Women's Open