Tardy bolts to the lead of the U.S. Women's Open on cut day.

Bailey Tardy took advantage of morning calm, charging to the lead of the U.S. Women’s Open on Friday at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The LPGA Tour rookie torched the course in the early going, recording four birdies and an eagle on the front nine. But Pebble Beach has a way of turning on golfers. With winds kicking up, Tardy could not make further inroads under par, losing a stroke with a bogey on 14.

Because she has struggled since joining the tour, Tardy’s performance caused a stir–among observers.

“I’ve always believed in myself to win any tournament that I enter,” she says. “I’m good enough to be here. So I feel like I definitely have the game to hang with the best in the world.”

Tardy finished the day with a 4-under 68, to go 7-under for the tournament, two strokes clear of Hyo Joo Kim and Allisen Corpuz–although both challenged for the lead throughout the round.

Corpuz carded three birdies under favorable morning conditions and climbed within a stroke of the lead. But bogeys on 11 and 18 knocked her off the pace.

Kim began the day a stroke ahead of both Tardy and Corpuz. Starting from the 10th tee, she birdied four times in ten holes. But on her final two holes, Kim found trouble.

“I started well,” she says. “Not as well as yesterday, but I did not make major mistakes. Then the last two holes, I did make mistakes.”

Back to back bogeys knocked Kim from a first place tie.

When the day started, three amateurs were among the leaders. Friday was hard on the trio, however. Amari Avery and Benedetta Monesco played through afternoon winds, plummeting from 2-under to 3-over. The second round was costly for low amateur Aine Donegan, as well. A stroke behind Thursday leaders Kim and Xiyu Janet Lin at the start of the day, she shot a 4-over 76 and sits in a tie for 11th.

Pebble Beach turned on Lin, as well. At 4-under after the first day, she gave it all away and more, now 8 strokes off the lead.

The course dangles both punishments and rewards. On Friday, the benefits tended to go toward those with early tee times.

“Once you make the turn back ti 11, it was just hard figuring out the wind direction,” Tardy points out. “My caddie and I did really well figuring that out.”

For those caught out by Pebble Beach, Friday left a sense of resignation.

“Day two, round two is over for me,” Kim says. “Of course I have some regrets, but what can I do? I’m still on the leaderboard, so I’ll just continue to work very hard and I have a chance to be a champion.”

But Friday was also cut day. About half the field heads home empty handed, including Lexi Thompson and promising amateur Anna Davis (9-over), Kelly Xu, the first to tee off on Thursday (13-over), veteran Michelle Wie West, playing in her final event (14-over), Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, lured out of retirement to play Pebble Beach (15-over).

“Of course I wish I would have finished a little better, but this course kind of kicked my butt this week–but in a good way.” Sorenstam says. “I'm just thankful for having the opportunity to be here.”

Pebble Beach takes away, but it also gives.

Monterey native Mina Harigae, who drew a large following during both the first and second rounds, is in the field at 3-over in a tie for 26th.

“So many people were on the 10th tee today,” Harigae says. “They made their way all the way out there. Just to hear everyone say, go, Mina, it's been really, really cool.”

Rose Zhang, who recorded a disappointing 74 on Thursday, rebounded Friday with a 1-under round to start the weekend in the knot of 10 golfers tied for 11th.

But Bailey Tardy will head the leaderboard when Saturday dawns.

“I’m leading the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach,” she says.