Jeeno Thitikul is halfway home to her first major victory, as she will take a three-shot lead into the weekend, while Leona Maguire sits eight shots back at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Frisco, Texas.
Thitikul from Thailand followed a first-round 68 with a2-under-par 70 on Friday to reach 6-under 138 at the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco.
She has a comfortable edge over Australia's Minjee Lee, who shot even-par 72,and Japan's Rio Takeda, who birdied her final hole (No. 9) and four of her last six for a 71.
Lexi Thompson also posted a 70 in the second round and holds fourth place at -2.
Ireland's Maguire meanwhile, lost further ground but is tied for 16th after her round of 74 left her two over for the tournament.
It was a tricky start for Maguire who hit bogeys on five of her first seven holes. However, she managed to recover somewhat and three birdies, including two on the back nine, ensured that she made the cut.
The course played even tougher than the day before, and only one player managed to break 70. England's Charley Hull posted a 3-under 69 to move to 3over and ensure she'll make the cut after an opening-round 78 set her back.
Thitikul entered the day with a one-shot lead and spent most of her round hovering around even par. After beginning on the back nine, she had two birdies and two bogeys through 16 holes before a birdie-birdie finish.
The Thai golfer made a 12 1/2-foot putt at the par-3 eighth before two-putting from59 feet at the par-5 ninth.
Thitikul has five wins to her credit on the LPGA Tour and placed in the top 10of seven majors. Now she will get to play from ahead and defend her lead in a high-pressure situation.
"I think it's depend on the wind," Thitikul said of the weekend to come. "If you can be committing with the wind you see and then calculating really good and putting yourself like tee-to-green really well and then making par, I think it's good enough."
