Minjee Lee and Nasa Hataoka were two of seven that posted 7-under, 64s in round one. They followed up brilliance with even more on Saturday in round two of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Lee made her first bogey of the tournament on her final hole of the day and handed in a 65 to share the midday lead at 13-under with Hataoka, who also finished at 6-under.
"It was good. I started on the back nine, I think I had 5 under on the back nine, so yeah, I had a pretty good start to my round," said Lee. "I thought it was not going to be as windy, but it was a little bit gusty here and there on the back nine. I pretty much took advantage of the calmer conditions in the morning and then my finishing couple holes it did get a little windier."
Lee, who was bogey-free in round one, started on the back nine with five birdies. She took the lead over Hataoka with a late birdie on hole seven, but had her first slip up on nine to draw back even at 13-under.
Lee is looking for her fifth career win and second this season. In late May, she won the Volvik Championship in Michigan.
The 19 year old Hataoka has become a real threat to win on the LPGA. All four of her top 10 finishes have come in the last five weeks.
"I hit it really well this year and so I just made a lot of chances to make a birdie," said Hataoka. "If you're playing even par in the final rounds you'll be just out of top-10, so I just try to focus on top-10 every week."
Final rounds have been Hataoka's undoing in pursuit of a win. She has finished even-par or worse in six of her nine final rounds.
World No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn moved into contention with a 5-under, 66 to get within three shots of Lee and Hataoka. If Ariya wins and Inbee Park, the current No. 1, finishes fourth or worse than Jutanugarn will takeover the top spot in the world. Jutanugarn made a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 seventh hole late in her round to vault into the mix.
World No. 3 Lexi Thompson also moved into the hunt. She started the day in a tie for 30th and made her move with a 7-under, 64 to jump all the way up to 11-under. Thompson could also get to No. 1 with a win, but Park would have to finish 21st or lower and Jutanugarn would have to finish 3rd or worse.
Thompson made five of her seven birdies on her outward nine.
"Overall I had a really good front nine," said Thompson. "I was just really firing at pins. I committed to my lines really well today and my shots overall, just my swing felt very solid. It was just one of those days I knew I could just aim at pins and fire away."
Inbee was 3-under through round one and started her second round at 1:25 p.m. local time.
LPGA rookie Celine Boutier of France carded a second straight 66 and is 10-under through two rounds. Her best finish this year is a T12 at the VOA LPGA Texas Classic.
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