England's Lottie Woad shot a seven-under-par 64 to claim the halfway lead at the Amundi Evian Championship as she seeks her first major victory.
The 22-year-old, who has won twice on the LPGA Tour over the past year since turning professional and finished third in this event last year, moved ahead of overnight-leader Aki Iwai by one shot after the Japanese player's second-round 69.
Woad racked up eight birdies with her solitary dropped shot coming at the par-four 10th. She followed that bogey with three successive birdies and finished with a flourish with a four at the par-five 18th after just missing for eagle.
Woad said: "I hit a lot of fairways and greens, which is definitely the key around here. If you get in trouble off the tee, it can be pretty difficult.
"The driver is clicking, I've been very good off the tee. If you do that you can have a lot of wedges and chances."
However, world No 1 Nelly Korda's hunt for a career Grand Slam-clinching victory on Sunday is over after the American missed the cut for the first time since June 2024.
Korda's cut miss came on the same day that men's world No 1 at the Genesis Scottish Open.
Woad's compatriot Charley Hull is still in contention heading into the weekend after her one-under 70 left her at six under for the tournament, five shots off the pace.
Hull, resuming her own bid for a maiden major title, combined three birdies and two bogeys and sits tied fifth with Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul, France's Nastasia Nadaud and Japan's Miyu Yamashita
Japan's Mao Saigo and Korea's Haeran Ryu are tied for third on eight under after both shooting rounds of 68.
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