American rookie Alison Lee, vying to continue the youth movement on the LPGA tour this season, fired a four-under par 67 to take the halfway lead in the Kingsmill Championship.
Lee’s nine-under total of 133 gave her a two-stroke lead over another LPGA rookie, Australian Lee Min-jee, and France’s Perrine Delacour.
Lee Min-jee carded a 67 highlighted by an eagle at the par-five third hole, while Delacour posted a 68 for 135.
Both Alison and Lee Min-jee are hoping to follow the example of South Korean rookie Kim Sei-Young, who has already won twice this season.
The American said she liked testing herself against other young players.
“It’s great competition,” the 20-year-old said. “It adds the fuel to the fire for me. Since I see all these other rookies playing well, I want to, too. And I want to make a name for myself. I think it’s really awesome that all the rookies this year are playing really well.”
The leader had five birdies, her only miscue a three-putt bogey at the sixth — her 15th hole of the day after teeing off on 10.
She bounced back with a birdie to stretch her lead.
“It was kind of a little bit of fatigue,” she said of the bogey. “It was getting kind of late in the day and I was ready for the round to be over. So I told myself to stay in it because it wasn’t over yet, and I still had a couple of tricky holes coming down and a couple of birdie chances also to extend the lead.”
Lee Min-jee, the 18-year-old Aussie who turned pro in September after an outstanding amateur career, began the day tied for ninth, but grabbed the early clubhouse lead with her four-under effort, which also included a near-hole out for eagle at the par-five seventh, where she settled for one of her three birdies.
While she has finished within the top 30 in six events in 2015, this is her best position heading into a weekend.
“This is my rookie year and kind of the first time I’ve been in this situation, so it’s going to be a whole new experience,” she said.
Delacour, whose previous best finish in an LPGA tournament was equal 15th at the 2014 Women’s Australian Open, was thrilled to be in contention.
“I’m excited but a little bit stressed because I’m close to the leader,” she said. “So I want to be good and maybe win the tournament.”