Andrew Richards
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

Back to one under for Darcey Harry, whose approach to the elevated green on the par-four fourth doesn't have the legs and rolls back onto the fairway.

She comes up a little short again with her chip onto the green and two-putts for a five.

A mixed bag to start for the Royal Porthcawl member, while others are making their moves.

Sound the Georgia Hall birdie klaxon too!

The 29-year-old improves her score by another shot at the par-three 12th.

Five under for the day, five under for the championship and into a share of fourth spot.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

Image source, Getty Images

Charley Hull said on social media last night that it was “windy enough to take the wool off a sheep’s back” at Royal Porthcawl on Friday.

It is not quite as breezy right now - but the forecast suggests it could get gusty once more later.

If Hull can maintain momentum in what remains of this spectacular round, she may be very nicely placed come tonight.

Charley Hull birdie klaxon.

The 29-year-old Englishwoman is absolutely flying here and pockets another birdie on the par-five 13th hole.

That is Hull's seventh of the round.

Hull is now four shots off overnight leader Miyu Yamashita, who is just about to tee off.

Image source, PA Media

Miyu Yamashita shot a bogey-free 65 in her second round to lead the Women's Open by three shots at Royal Porthcawl overnight.

On the day before her 24th birthday, Yamashita was among those to take advantage of the calmer conditions in south Wales on Friday morning.

She set the clubhouse target at 11 under par, while playing partner Rio Takeda followed Thursday's round of 67 with a three-under 69 on Friday to lie second.

Below Takeda was a four-shot gap to a trio of players at four under.

That gap is closing, though...

Lottie Woad's tee shot at the par-three fifth leaves her with a long putt for birdie.

She comes up short, but holds her nerve to sink a tricky putt for par.

A shout of "unlucky" and some well wishes for Mimi Rhodes from the watching crowds as a birdie try from about 12 feet on the short eighth hole breaks too much.

A safe par, no bogeys on the card yet and there could have been easily more than the three birdies she's managed.

Image source, PA Media

Rio Takeda was the co-leader at the end of the first round and built on that position during the calmer conditions on Friday morning to reach eight under par overall.

She missed the cut on her Women's Open debut last year but will play in the final group in round three this time around.

Takeda has major pedigree - she was tied for second behind Maja Stark at the US Women's Open earlier this summer.

Spare a thought for fellow Japanese player Eri Okayama, who shared the lead with Takeda after round one. She carded a nine-over-par 81 in her second round and finished two shots outside the cut line.

It's seven years since Georgia Hall won the Women's Open. She's one of only three British winners in the 21st century (Catriona Matthew in 2009, Karen Stupples in 2004).

Still a long way to go to catch leader Miyu Yamashita, who will start at -11 shortly, but the English trio of Hall, Charley Hull and Mimi Rhodes are putting themselves in with a shout with their efforts so far today.

Mimi Rhodes makes another brilliant approach to the seventh but a makeable birdie chance slips by.

Image source, Getty Images

Lottie Woad needs a birdie to ignite her round here.

She misses a chance to get into the hole in three shots on the par-four fourth.

Woad's putter is cool at the moment. A bogey and three pars to start.

Playing partner Megan Khang manages a birdie to move to two under.

Andrew Richards
BBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl

Darcey Harry goes right off the tee towards the spectators but finds a nice lie in the rough at the third.

“Oh Darcey!” is the shout as she drills her approach right at the pin, leaving herself with two or three feet for birdie.

She gives a smile and a chuckle before heading to the green to finish off the job.

Back on track.

Not enough legs on that. Nelly Korda has another birdie putt on the fifth from around 15-20 feet and is willing her ball on but it comes up just short of the cup.

Image source, Getty Images

After saving par on the previous hole, Charley Hull bags herself a birdie on the par-three 12th.

Hull's tee shot lands about eight feet from the hole and she manages to drain the putt.

If she continues in this manner, Hull will be right in amongst it.

Germany's Laura Fuenfstueck was in Friday's final three-ball, finishing her second round at about 21:00 BST and ending the day in a tie for third place.

She is seven shots behind leader Miyu Yamashita.

Fuenfstueck said: "I saw that she was running away a little bit earlier, which I think actually helped me try to refocus a little bit. I think it's quite easy when you're up there to start looking downwards or upwards.

"I saw that she was running away a little bit and thought I better not try to lose too much ground there. That definitely helped a little bit.

"Obviously she'll have a target on her back and lots of girls chasing her this weekend. I'll try to be one of them."

Nelly Korda has had a scrappy start and can't quite believe it as her birdie putt on the fourth bobbles off to the left.

She gives the putting surface a little prod and just needs something to help click into gear.

Lottie Woad plays a graceful approach shot on to the green at the third which tees up a decent birdie chance... but she's not quite able to capitalise and taps in for par.

A steady rather than spectacular start by Woad so far.

Image source, PA Media

England's Georgia Hall goes out in a bogey-free 32, ending with a birdie on the par-five ninth to get to four under.

A bit further back on the sixcth, Mimi Rhodes' approach to the sixth comes to rest about three feet from the hole. A comfortable birdie and now she's four under.

Miyu Yamashita might be a long way clear, but the chasing pack are doing all they can to add some pressure as she gets ready to begin her third round in about 20 minutes' time.

Charley Hull is strutting purposefully today.

She leaves herself with a knee-knocker for par at the 11th but calmly drops it into the hole.

Charley Hull has shown there's a low score to be had on the front nine, and Jenny Shin has proved you can make birdies on the back nine too.

The South Korean has made it home in 32 for a five-under round of 67 - the lowest of the day so far.