KUALA LUMPUR - Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura stumbled early in the second round but rebounded to reclaim a one-shot lead over Rose Zhang at the Maybank Championship on Friday at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Malaysia.
The 11-year LPGA veteran shot a 3-under 69 in the second round and holds the 36-hole lead for the second time in her career at 12-under for the tournament, one ahead of Zhang and two clear of world No.5 Celine Boutier of France, Peiyun Chien of Taiwan and Hannah Green of Australia.
While Jasmine lost her first-round lead early Friday with bogeys on two of her first three holes, Zhang grabbed the lead and Boutier made a charge with a second-round 64.
“I think I didn’t really get stressed about the two bogeys, and I feel like today the pin positions especially were not that easy at all,” said the Thai golfer, who has won twice on the LPGA tour.
“I felt like, a couple of bogeys, it made sense. So I was just trying my best and hopefully make some birdies coming in. ‘At least make even par today — that’s what I was thinking (after the bogeys).”
Among other Thais, 19-year-old Chanettee Wannasaen, who won the LPGA Portland Open earlier this year, fired a 6-under 66 to lie four shots back of the leader at 8 under. Former world No.1 Atthaya Thitikul is another shot back at 7 under.
Zhang remains in moving position entering Saturday despite a double-bogey on the par-4 14th thanks to birdies at 15 and 16 and another long birdie putt that fell on the 18th hole for a second-round 68. Through two rounds, the American leads the field with 14 birdies.
“When you’re out here you really have to be throwing darts and firing on all cylinders. When you make a mistake it’s how you stay composed and come back to it,” she said. “So I’m really glad how I fought, and I felt like it was a really good way to finish.”
Boutier had nine birdies to rally from a three-putt on the opening hole of her round, the 10th, but recalibrated quickly.
“I was not really happy with my putting already on the first hole,” Boutier said. “And then starting off with a three-putt was not great, but then I had a good birdie chance on 11, which was my second hole, and made it. That kind of gave me a little bit more of a positive outlook on the rest of the day.”
Chien shot a 69 and Green posted a 70 on Friday.
A Lim Kim of South Korea (66) and Gina Kim (70) are tied for sixth at 9 under. Major champions Sei Young Kim of South Korea (67), Brooke Henderson of Canada (67) and Ruoning Yin of China (68) are among a group tied at 8 under.