Australia’s Minjee Lee and American Alison Lee are on track for another Sunday showdown as they chase the biggest cheque in women’s golf at the LPGA Tour’s season-ending championship in Florida.
The in-form pair have waged some ding-dong battles of late and are again in the mix in a crowded leaderboard following the second round of the Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples.
American Lee, who won the tour event in Riyadh late last month, carded an 8-under-par 64, after starting with a bang with five birdies in seven holes.
She then finished with birdies on four of her last five holes to sit in a tie at the top with first round co-leader Nasa Hataoka of Japan.
Hataoka atoned for missing a short par putt by closing with a pair of birdies, finishing with an eight-metre putt on the last hole.
Australian Lee, who beat her namesake in a play-off for the Ladies Championship in South Korea a month ago, backed up her opening 64 with a 67 to be one stroke back at 13-under, her lowest 36-hole total at the event since 2015.
She is in a tie for third with China’s Ruoning Yin and Amy Yang of South Korea, who had the best round of the day with a 63.
Australia’s world number five picked up three birdies against one bogey on the front nine and after a bogey on the par-3 16th, finished with a flourish with two birdies.
A third victory from her past four starts would earn the 27-year-old the biggest purse in women’s golf, a cheque for $US2 million ($A3.1 million).
Grace Kim is the next best-placed Australian, in a tie for 16th, after rounds of 69 and 68 while Hannah Green (70, 69) is in a group sharing 33rd spot.
Sarah Kemp added another 71 while Steph Kyriacou (73, 71) is in a tie for 55th to round out the Australian challenge.
American Lee, who is ranked world number 27, said she felt in tune with her game amidst a late-season surge to chase her first win in nine years on the LPGA Tour.
“I don’t know why but I just feel really good about my game right now,” the 28-year-old Californian said.
“My swing’s in a really good place and I’m making a lot of really good putts — I wish I knew the recipe for success but I’m just trying my best to ride the wave right now because I feel like I’m playing great golf so hopefully it can continue through the weekend.”
The elite 60-player Florida field features all the 2023 major winners chasing an $A11 million purse.
World number two Yin, the 21-year-old who won the Women’s PGA Championship in June, and France’s Celine Boutier are the only players mathematically alive to deny world number one and two-time major winner Lilia Vu from winning the LPGA Player-of-the-Year award.
Yin, who shared the lead after her opening round 63, followed up with a 68 while Boutier looks out of contention in a tie for 33rd after a second round 70.
American Vu, the double major winner this year, improved on her first round score of 70 with a 66 to share 10th place.
AAP
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