Christina Kim carded two birdies on the back nine to shoot 3-under-par 69 and maintain the lead by one stroke over charging Paula Creamer in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Club de Golf Mexico in Mexico City.
Kim, from San Jose, birdied three of the first four holes and overcame two bogeys in the middle of her round with birdies on Nos. 13 and 16 while following up a bogey-free 65 in the first round.
“(Thursday) I was lucky enough to have two eagles, so that immediately made the score a lot better, and I had no bogeys,” said Kim, whose only LPGA Tour victories came in the 2004 Longs Drugs Challenge and the 2005 Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions.
“Today I had two bogeys. It’s just difficult when you’re in the lead and there’s such a fantastic field and everyone’s coming after you. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position and I’m just trying to get back into it. Just enjoying myself.
“It’s going to make for a very exciting weekend, hopefully. And it’ll be a tough weekend, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
Creamer, from Pleasanton, who won for the 10th time on the LPGA Tour earlier this season in the HSBC Women’s Champions, birdied seven of her first 14 holes before closing her round with four consecutive pars to win dup with a 65.
Suzann Pettersen of Norway eagled the second hole en route to a 66 and was tied for third with Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand, who had a 68, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who totaled 69, and Azahara Munoz of Spain, who came in at 71.
Shanshan Feng of China shot 67 to tie for seventh with So Yeon Ryu of South Korea, who had a 69, and Gerina Piller, who finished at 70, while top-ranked Inbee Park of South Korea was solo 10th after a second straight 70.
