WONJU, South Korea: World number two Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand has slipped to two shots off the lead heading into the third round of the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea.
Andrea Lee of the United States moved into top spot on Friday with a second consecutive bogey-free round for another six-under-par 66 at the lone LPGA stop in South Korea this year.
Lee, 24, is now at 12-under after two rounds, two strokes ahead of Atthaya, local amateur Kim Min-sol and American Lilia Vu.
Lydia Ko of New Zealand was in fifth place, four shots off the lead.
It was another disappointing day for world number one and defending champion Ko Jin-young of South Korea, who carded a 79 following her 80 on Thursday. Ko is returning from two months out with a wrist injury.
Atthaya, 19, who has already won twice in her first season on the LPGA Tour, could replace Kim at the top of the world women's golf rankings with a victory this week.
Halfway leader Lee, who was born in Los Angeles to South Korean immigrant parents, said playing in her parents' native country carried a special meaning.
"Just to be here and to play in Korea for the first time means a lot," she said, according to Yonhap news agency.
"And if I were to be able to cap it off with the win, it would be even more special."
The BMW Ladies Championship has a purse of $2 million.