Lauren Walsh just survived the cut after a disappointing day two of the 2026 PIF Saudi Ladies International, with Anna Foster also making it for the conclusion of the tournament.
England's Mimi Rhodes produced a round of 69 to lead by one at the 36-hole mark at Riyadh Golf Club, sitting on 11 under par.
Walsh had been just three shots off the lead after the opening day but produced a 74 today.
It included a double-bogey, a bogey and just a single birdie, which was a contrast to yesterday's 67. She is now on three under, in a tie for 43rd.
Foster shot three birdies and two bogeys for a 71 to sit in the same position.
Rhodes, meanwhile, the 2025 LET Rookie of the Year, who was in a share of the lead after the first round, started with a birdie on the 10th and added another on 13 before her first bogey of the week on 16.
She bounced back with back-to-back birdies on the first and second to sign for her round of 69 and sit at the top of the leaderboard on 11 under par.
"I was so excited [to get the season going]," said three-time LET winner Rhodes. "Having two months off competitive golf is so long. I got back into the swing and holing putts is my main goal out there. Having the greens rolling really nicely is an advantage for that. I’m taking it chill out there and being patient.
"The game is honestly feeling good. I wouldn’t say my preparation was 100% because it was pouring with rain in Spain, so I wasn’t really getting much prep at all, but it shows my swing is in the right place. I don’t need that many reps on the range. I just need to focus on the putting green and short game and it will handle itself.
"I wasn’t putting too much pressure on myself this week, but it’s obviously a big event. I wanted to do well and start with a cut made and I’ve done more than that. I think I can be proud of myself for now and see what happens. I’m happy.
"I won’t approach the weekend any differently. I’ll get back into the zone, I will take it one shot at a time make birdies out there with minimum bogeys and see what happens."
South Africa’s Casandra Alexander and Japan’s Chizzy Iwai sit in a share of second place on 10 under par after two rounds.
LET winner Alexander started her day with a bogey but immediately bounced back with a birdie on the second before adding another on the fifth.
The 26-year-old then found her groove on the back nine with four birdies in a six-hole stretch between holes 10-15 to sit one shot off the lead on 10-under.
Japan’s Iwai followed up her opening 65 (-7) with a 69 (-3) on day two which included five birdies and two bogeys to join Alexander in T2.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Japan’s Rio Takeda are one shot further back in a tie for fourth place on nine-under-par.
Eight-time LET winner Ciganda, who made an ace on the first day, was bogey-free on day two as she rolled in birdies on the second, seventh, 15th and 16th holes.
Japan’s Takeda fired a round of 66 (-6) rolling in seven birdies including three on the trot on holes 15, 16, and 17.
Eight players sit in a share of sixth place with Korean quartet Ina Yoon, Hyejun Park, Jiwon Ko, Hye-Jin Choi, Japanese duo Nasa Hataoka and Akie Iwai, Belgium’s Manon De Roey and Singapore’s Shannon Tan all on eight-under.
The cut fell at -2 with 65 players making it through to the final two days of action at the PIF Saudi Ladies International.
