Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand plays in the shadow of her younger sister, Ariya, who is No. 6 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
However, it was the older Jutanugarn who recorded a bogey-free, 5-under-par 66 in the second round of the inaugural HUGEL-JTBC LA Open to take a one-stroke lead over Marina Alex at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.
“I’m trying to beat her all the time,” said Moriya Jutanugarn, 23, who has never won as a pro, while Ariya has won eight times including the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open. “I just want to keep playing my game. If it’s my time, then it’ll turn out good.
“The key for this week is just stay away from the bunkers, just try to hit fairways and greens. That’s the key for this week. That’s what I try to do.”
Moriya Jutanugarn birdied three straight holes through No. 4 and added two more on Nos. 11 and 13 to post a 36-hole score of 8-under 134.
Alex, also seeking her first victory, bounced back from a bogey on the first hole to shoot 68, while fifth-ranked So Yeon Ryu of South Korea is two shots back in third after collecting seven birdies in a 65.
Third-ranked Inbee Park of South Korea, the first-round leader, finished at 71 and is three down in a tie for fourth with Eun-Hee Ji, also of South Korea, who wound up at 69, while Jin Young Ko, another South Korean, is one more behind in solo sixth after at 67.
Second-ranked Lexi Thompson totaled 71 and is five back in a tie for seventh with Morgan Pressel (67), Azahara Munoz (70) of Spain, and Caroline Inglis (71).
Top-ranked Shanshan Feng of China is tied for 16th after a 67, Ariya Jutanugarn shot 71 and is tied for 20th, and No. 8 Cristie Kerr is tied for 66th following a 73.
No. 4 Sung Hyun Park of South Korea shot 73 to miss the cut by one stroke, and No. 9 Anna Nordqvist of Sweden stumbled to a 78 to miss the weekend by six shots.
For complete results, visit http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard.
