PATTAYA: Nasa Hataoka of Japan and Su Oh of Australia each fired a 7-under par 65 on Friday to tie for the lead at 16 under after two rounds of the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament at Siam Country Club.
On a day that saw a number of impressively low scores, Celine Boutier of France is a stroke back at 15 under par, tied with Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark.
First-round co-leader Esther Henseleit, who has two wins on the Ladies European Tour, managed a one-under 71, to go with her opening-day 63, but she slipped to 10 under par heading into the third round.
The nearest contender in the large field of Thai players is Jaravee Boonchant, a Duke University graduate and four-time all-American who turned professional last year. She shot a bogey-free round of 65, including an eagle on the par-5 first hole, to move to 9 under, putting her in a tie for 15th place.
Rising stars Patty Tanatavakit and Atthaya Thitikul are a further two strokes back at 7 under. Moriya Jutanygarn is at 6 under par, a stroke ahead of Thai amateur Rina Takematsu and Pajaree Anannarukarn.
Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn, a 12-time LPGA Tour winner and former world No.1, had seven birdies and an eagle to go with three bogeys to rebound to 4 under, after a dispiriting 74 on opening day.
Hataoka, who is ranked ninth in the world, said she was determined to keep her form up at the end of her second round.
“Nothing changes. Just keep going. I want to make more birdies,” said the player, who lives and practises in Florida.
Oh managed to score a magnificent eagle on the last hole after a rain delay earlier.
“I was just kind of scrambling really well out there,” she said.
“You know there is going to be a lot of birdies out there, so you don’t feel like you’re way ahead by making birdies,” said the 25-year-old.
“I holed quite a lot of putts and some good momentum putts, too, so that always helps.”
The 15th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand offers prize money of US$1.6 million (53 million baht), of which the winner will receive $240,000.