Key keywords: Nelly Korda, AIG Women's Open 2024, links golf, St Andrews Old Course, women's golf major, weekend golf unpredictability, LPGA Tour At the midway point of the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, held on the iconic St Andrews Old Course, world No. 2 Nelly Korda sent a clear reminder to fans, competitors, and pundits alike during her post-second-round press conference: links golf does not follow any script. Fresh off her gold medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympic women’s golf tournament, Korda sits at 8-under par, tied for third place just two strokes off the lead held by England’s Charley Hull, and says she is not taking any position for granted as the tournament moves into its weekend rounds. Unlike parkland courses that feature groomed fairways, predictable rough, and minimal wind interference, links courses like St Andrews are built on coastal dunes, with firm, fast fairways, deep pot bunkers, and constantly shifting wind patterns that can turn a perfect tee shot into a lost ball in a matter of seconds. Rain and gusts of up to 35 miles per hour are forecast for Saturday and Sunday’s rounds, conditions that Korda says will level the playing field for the entire 70-player cut line. Korda, who won her first major at the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, has long cited links golf as her favorite style of play, noting that the randomness rewards creativity and adaptability as much as raw power and precision. “I’ve seen players lead by 5 strokes going into the weekend and finish outside the top 10 here, and I’ve seen players 7 shots back shoot a 63 on Sunday to take the trophy,” Korda told reporters. “There’s no point looking at the leaderboard too closely right now. I’m just focused on picking the right club for every shot, reading the wind correctly, and accepting that some bounces are going to go against me no matter how well I play.” The AIG Women’s Open is the final women’s major of the 2024 LPGA Tour season, with a $9 million total prize purse and a $1.35 million payout for the winner. Fans have already seen a series of surprise performances through the first two rounds, including 18-year-old amateur Mia Hammond shooting a 5-under 67 on Thursday to sit tied for the lead after the first day, and 2022 champion Ashleigh Buhai carding a quadruple bogey on the 17th “Road Hole” on Friday to drop 10 spots down the leaderboard. Korda added that she expects more of those unexpected moments over the weekend, saying that the unpredictability is exactly what makes links golf and the AIG Women’s Open so special for players and viewers.