PATTATA: Ratchanon "TK" Chantananuwat's maturity was on display once again on Friday when he added a second-round two-under-par 70 to his opening 63 to share the halfway lead at the Asian Mixed Cup.
The Thai teenager moved to 11-under 133 on the Waterside Course at Siam Country Club along with Finland's Sanna Nuutinen, who also shot a 70 to celebrate her birthday in an ideal way.
The pair had shared the overnight lead in the US$750,000 tournament which marks the first time the Asian Tour has staged a mixed event that is being jointly sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour (LET).
"There was a lot more wind today than yesterday, so conditions were tough. Overall I am not really happy with the way I played," said 15-year-old Ratchanon. "It wasn't a great round, but it wasn't that bad either. I am still in the lead, which is okay, but it could have been better."
Nuutinen turned 31 yesterday and like Ratchanon held firm at the top as she goes in search of her first LET win.
"I found the conditions a bit tougher today. The morning conditions were super windy, but now it had died down a bit and a couple of pins were tucked," she said.
"It is my birthday today. I will see what the girls have planned for me later on."
She made four birdies and two bogeys, as did Ratchanon.
South Korea's Kim Bi-O and Thailand's Phachara Khongwatmai were one shot back after rounds of 67 and 69 respectively.
"Today my game was good although I made a double bogey. Overall, my performance over two days is acceptable. The only thing to improve is my putting," said Phachara, who won in Phuket in December for his first title on the Asian Tour.