Walsh and Foster eight back in Riyadh; NTT DATA Pro-Am reduced to 54 holes
Lauren Walsh in action during the second round of the PIF Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club. Credit: Tristan Jones/ LET
Lauren Walsh and Anna Foster have their work cut out to catch England’s Mimi Rhodes after slipping back in the second round of the $5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club.
Rhodes won three times en route to claiming the 2025 LET Rookie of the Year award, and she’s on track for win number four in Saudi Arabia after adding a 69 to her opening 64 to lead by one stroke from South Africa’s Casandra Alexandra and Japan’s Chiuzzy Iwai on 11-under par.
A former NCAA Div I winner alongside Walsh at Wake Forest, Rhodes has moved quickly into the swing of things in the first event of the LET season.
“The game is honestly feeling good,’ Rhodes said. “I wouldn’t say my preparation was 100pc 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.”
LPGA-bound Walsh had 33 putts as she added a two-over 74 to her opening 67 to slip eight shots behind Rhodes.
A water-logged green on day one of the NTT Data Pro-Am at Fancourt Golf Estate. Photo: Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour
She was tied for 43rd on three-under alongside Elm Park’s Foster, who followed a 70 with a three-birdie 71.
On the HotelPlanner Tour, Ireland’s six-strong challenge for the NTT DATA Pro-Am will play no more than 54 holes after the first round was cancelled due to persistent rainfall at Fancourt Golf Estate.
Conor Purcell, Max Kennedy, Gary Hurley and Liam Nolan are joined in George by Sunshine Tour regulars Rowan Lester and Liam Grehan.
But heavy rain flooded large parts of all three courses – The Links, Montagu and Outeniqua – and, following a six-hour delay, a decision was made to cancel the opening round without any golf being played.
The first two rounds will now be played solely on the Outeniqua and Montagu courses, with the final round contested on the Montagu layout.
