Meena Lee and Caroline Masson are at eight-under par and lead the North Texas Shootout by one shot. While Masson was the model of consistency with a pair of four-under par 67’s for her first two rounds, Lee took a slightly different path to the top of the leaderboard.
Lee posted a one-under par 70 on Thursday, but came back on Friday with the low round of the day, a seven-under par 64.
Starting her second round on the back nine, she began with an eagle-three at her first hole, the par-5 No. 10, followed by a bogey at her second hole (No. 11). Lee then carded five birdies and two more bogeys for a first nine holes of four-under par 31, without a single par on her first nine holes.
Her back nine was more orderly with three consecutive birdies at Nos 2-4 (11-13) and six pars to post a three-under par 33 on her second nine.
The seven-under par 64 got her to eight-under par through 36 holes and tied for the lead.
Lee joined the LPGA Tour in 2005, has two career victories and has won over $4 million on tour.
Masson is only 24 years old and was a member of the victorious European Solheim Cup team last year. She has yet to win on the LPGA Tour, but won the 2012 South African Women’s Open on the Ladies European Tour.
She has been very consistent over the first two rounds, posting five birdies versus only one bogey each day.
No. 3 in the world, Stacy Lewis finds herself in a familiar position heading into the weekend at the North Texas Shootout. She is tied with Natalie Gulbis, just one shot back of the leaders at seven-under par.
Christina Kim, who has struggled over the past couple of years, is having one of her best efforts. She is alone in the fifth spot at six-under par.
Suzann Pettersen has been hampered by a sore back, but appears to be returning to form. She is tied with Christie Kerr, Julietta Granada, Dewi Claire Schreefel and Dori Carter one more shot back at five-under par.
Michelle Wie is continuing to play solid golf, at two-under par, she is six shots behind the leaders.
Lexi Thompson is making her first start since her win at the Kraft Nabisco and is T-28 at one-under par.
The field at the North Texas Shootout was cut to the top-70 after the second round and will be cut to the top-50 after Saturday’s third round.