England’s Mimi Rhodes produced a round of 69 (-3) on day two of the 2026 PIF Saudi Ladies International to lead by one at the 36-hole mark at Riyadh Golf Club.
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.
Related: Mimi Rhodes, Hye-Jin Choi take early initiative in Riyadh
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.
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“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.
“I have had good prep coming into this week,” said Alexander. “All the work I did with my coaches last year, getting back into it this year shows that work was really useful for my game throughout the next couple of years. Doing the right things consistently has led to this.
“In the beginning, the greens were a little drier than yesterday obviously being the afternoon and they were quite quick, they were a lot quicker than the practice greens and I just settled in nicely after a couple of holes.
“On the back nine, things started to go my way a little. I still left a few out there, I left a lot in the teeth just short of the hole. I did well, but there were still some shots out there so hopefully, we can grab them tomorrow.”
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.
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“Today I made some bogeys,” said the LPGA Tour winner. “I made many up-and-downs, but today’s score was three-under which is not bad. It was fun today. I was trying not to think too much and just trust my instincts. I was telling myself that I could do it. I want to be challenged in 2026 and I’m also trying to speak English this year.”
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.
