Minjee Lee shot bogey free 66 and will take a two-shot lead into the final two rounds at the LOTTE Championship Presented by HERSHEY.
“Just been having fun and hitting my shots one shot at time,” Lee said of her approach to the week at Ko Olina.
Lee started her day strong with a birdie on the first and then ran off six consecutive pars before getting hot and making five birdies in six holes to climb to 10-under for the week. Lee closed with five pars to hold the 36-hole lead for the second time in her young career.
“I holed a couple of nice putts and, yeah, just got my momentum going on the front nine,” Lee explained. “I birdied 8 and 9, so I think the momentum carried on through the back nine.”
Ballstriking has been key to Lee’s solid week thus far as she’s hit an impressive 32 of 36 greens including all 18 on Thursday’s second round.
“I’ve been striking it pretty good yesterday and today as well,” Lee admitted. “It really does help in this wind.”
The 2015 Kingsmill Championship winner noticed that she was in the lead late in her round but didn’t let that change her approach.
“I was like, oh, okay, and then I just carried on.”
Katie Burnett sits two shots back at 8-under after a second day 66, while sponsor invite Su-Yeon Jang will round out Friday’s final group at 7-under.
73 players made the cut of 2-over 146. Notable players to miss the cut included 2014 champion Michelle Wie (+9) and Brittany Lincicome (+3).