Min-Jee Lee birdied No. 17 for the outright lead en route to a three-under 69 and a one-shot cushion after the second round of the US LPGA’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
The 19-year-old Australian moved to a six-under 138 and is one stroke in front of defending champion Christina Kim, Park In-Bee, Kim Sei-Young and Angela Stanford at the Club de Golf Mexico.
Playing in ideal conditions, Lee had her putter working on Friday. She finished with six birdies on the day, the last coming on the par-five 17th when she two-putted from 50 feet.
Lee, who won her first US LPGA title in May at Kingsmill, said she is trying not to get too far ahead of herself.
“There’s nothing different I’m going do on the golf course,” Lee said of the weekend play. “I’m going to stick to my golf and take it one shot at a time. Still, two rounds to go and that’s a long way.”
First round leader Park (71), Christina Kim (66), Stanford (70) and Kim Sei-Young (66) were tied for second place at five under.
Park is playing her first tournament since withdrawing from last week’s Blue Bay event in Hainan Island, China because of a cyst on her left hand.
“Not a great striking game today, but I still feel really good about the putter,” said Park, who is chasing Lydia Ko for Player of Year honours. “Just a few bad shots, too many bogeys.”
Ko is not playing this week.
Park had an eagle on the par-five second hole but also made three bogeys.
Christina Kim and Kim Sei-Young tied for the low round of the day with six-under-par 66s.
Norway’s Suzann Pettersen stands alone in sixth, two strokes off the lead after firing a one-under 71 on Friday.