MILTON KEYNES, England – Ashleigh Buhai stretched her surprise lead at the Women’s British Open to three shots, shooting a bogey-free 5-under 67 in Friday’s second round.

Buhai, a 30-year-old South African who has never won on the LPGA Tour, birdied four of the final eight holes to post 12-under 132.

“I’m trying not to keep thinking it’s a major. It’s just another tournament,” said Buhai, whose best previous British Open finish was a tie for 30th in 2017. “I just keep trying to do what I’ve done the last few weeks. I’ve kept the mistakes off the card the last two days.”

Alone in second at 9 under was 20-year-old Hinako Shibuno, a rookie on the Japan LPGA Tour who is making her LPGA Tour and major championship debut.

“I just wanted to make the cut. That’s all,” Shibuno said.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is tied for 18th at 4 under after shooting a 1-under 71 on Friday. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp missed the cut at 4 over.

Shibuno, who shot 66 on Thursday, had a 69 on Friday and wowed spectators at Woburn Golf Club with her fearless play. She led for much of the afternoon before Buhai overtook her. Shibuno has two victories in Japan this year and is ranked 46th in the world.

American Lizette Salas was third at 8 under. She birdied the first four holes en route to a bogey-free 67.

“Awesome day,” Salas said.

Bronte Law, the top-ranked English player at No. 19, also shot 67 and was four shots back alongside Celine Boutier, second-ranked Sung Hyun Park, Caroline Masson and local favourite Charley Hull, who is playing on her home course. Boutier had the day’s lowest round at 66.

Danielle Kang had a disappointing 72 and was six shots back.

“I don’t know, nothing really felt like yesterday,” Kang said. “I guess today was one of those off-days and yesterday was the day that everything comes together. But I know what I’m capable of. Even if I’m playing bad, I know I can give myself opportunities.”

Defending champion Georgia Hall was also 6 under after a 69, along with Ariya Jutanugarn (70), Carlota Ciganda (69) and top-ranked Jin Young Ko, who was frustrated after a 70. Ko is seeking her third major title of the year after winning last week’s Evian Championship in France.

MILTON KEYNES, England – Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the first round of the Women’s British Open on Thursday.

Buhai finished just ahead of Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and American Danielle Kang, who each had a bogey in rounds of 66.

“In my last few tournaments I’ve had three good rounds and one not so good round, so I’m hoping this is the week I can do four good rounds,” said Buhai, whose best finish this year is a tie for 11th. “The last few weeks I have been just trying to stay mellow and keep everything in check, and it seems to be helping.”

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, seeking her third major title of the year after winning last week’s Evian Championship in France, was well positioned after a 68.

“I’m not tired yet,” Ko said. “I will do my best for this week, and then I had just great playing today, so I’m just happy.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., opened at 3 under 69, while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot an opening round of 2-over 74.

“I was just sort of making some key saves when I needed them, but just hitting the ball in good places and giving myself some looks, and it was really nice to finish with two birdies at 15 and 16 and kind of get my round to -3, and I feel like that’s a good position going into the next three days,” said Henderson.

Buhai, who has never won on the LPGA Tour, made her only bogey on the par-5 11th but responded with three straight birdies on Nos. 14-16. Her best previous British Open finish was a tie for 30th in 2017.

“I had a bit of a wobble in the middle of my round, and to finish with three birdies and come in strong – I had a goal when I saw the lead was 6 to get to 7, so I holed like a 30-footer on the 16th hole and that got me to 7,” she said.

Playing on her home Marquess Course at Woburn Golf Club, Charley Hull delighted fans with a bogey-free 67. Hull, who suffered from food poisoning at last week’s Evian Championship, showed no lingering ill effects.

“Sometimes it’s harder when it’s your home golf course because you know where not to hit it as well as where to hit it,” Hull said. “Like today, for instance, the 13th hole, it’s the first time I’ve hit that fairway for about three years, so I was quite happy about it.”

Kang, who won the Women’s PGA Championship two years ago for her only major, missed the cut last week at the Evian Championship, allowing her to arrive early for the second of back-to-back majors.

“There might have been a little bit of a blessing in disguise that I missed the cut last week because I came here on Saturday actually and I got a lot of rest, I played a few rounds,” Kang said. “I like being prepared in a proper way and competing in a proper way.”

Joining Hull at 5 under were second-ranked Sung Hyun Park, Moriya Jutanugarn and Megan Khang.

U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 and Ariya Jutanugarn shot 68 along with Ko. Defending champion Georgia Hall opened with a 69.

“I think it’s important for me to take all the emotions in and really enjoy it. I loved it out there today,” Hall said. “I just loved having so much support.”

Lexi Thompson, whose wayward passport after the Evian Championship caused a delay for a van carrying golf bags for nearly 40 players to Woburn, opened with a 71.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Jin Young Ko took advantage of a friend’s bad luck to win her second major title of the season on Sunday, and reclaimed No. 1 spot in the women’s world golf rankings.

Ko fired a 4-under 67 in the rain-swept final round to win the Evian Championship by two shots with a 15-under total of 269.

Winner of the season’s first major, the ANA Inspiration in April, Ko closed out the victory after playing partner, longtime leader and good friend Hyo Joo Kim lost control of the tournament with a triple bogey at the par-3 14th.

Ko took the two-shot lead she was given, and added a birdie at the par-4 No. 17, to hold off strong finishes by American rookie Jennifer Kupcho (66) and Shanshan Feng (68).

The 24-year-old South Korean played the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion and no drama. Kim (73) made a birdie to join a three-way tie for second with Kupcho and Feng.

Ko said her play was “a little perfect,” after getting the silver trophy presented by ski great Lindsey Vonn.

Ko acknowledged feeling sad for Kim, the 2014 Evian champion whose challenge was undone after a tee shot at No. 14 plugged beneath the front face of a green-side bunker. Kim’s first salvage attempt rolled back from the grass into a deep footprint in the sand. Kim then three-putted.

“The lie was so bad. It was really unlucky for Hyo Joo,” said Ko.

The winner’s check of $615,000 lifted Ko atop the LPGA money list with almost $2 million this season.

A second career major for Ko, the 2018 LPGA Rookie of the Year, also means she goes back to No. 1 in the world rankings above her other playing partner, Sung Hyun Park.

Park (75) was let down by her putting in falling to a tie for sixth at 10 under.

Brooke Henderson (70) of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 17th at 4 under and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (68) tied for 55th at 4 over.

A final round played in steady rain ended in fading light at 7:35 p.m. local time (1735 GMT). The start was delayed by two hours to prepare the Evian Resort Golf Club course after overnight downpours.

In her second major as a professional, the 22-year-old Kupcho impressed by shooting a bogey-free, lowest round of the day in persistent rain and cooling winds.

“It’s crazy. It’s exciting to see that I can compete,” said the Colorado native, untroubled by the dreary weather. “I just say, ‘Well everyone’s playing in it, so we’re going to be out here.”’

Kupcho was the first woman to win at Augusta National, in the inaugural Women’s Amateur in April, and played apparently nerveless golf until her final 4-foot putt. She made it to secure a check for $289,000.

“Standing over this putt on 18 I was kind of freaking out,” said Kupcho, who was an NCAA champion at Wake Forest. “I had to take a couple of deep breaths as I was lining it up.”

Kupcho had begun the day seven shots behind Kim, and three behind Ko. Though Park seemed favoured, three shots ahead of Ko, she opened with two bogeys and struggled to find rhythm.

Park ended with another bogey 6 at the 18th, playing her approach into flower beds beside the green, and hacking out across the putting surface into more thick grass.

The Jutanugarn sisters from Thailand both shot 68 to secure top-10 finishes.

Ariya Jutanugarn made eagle-3 on the 18th to finish alone in fifth place on 11 under, and elder sister Moriya tied for sixth with Park.

Ko’s victory ended a streak of 10 different players winning the previous 10 women’s majors.

The next starts Thursday, when the Women’s British Open begins at Woburn, England. It’s the first time since 1960 that two women’s majors have been played in back-to-back weeks.

On Sunday morning, Ko cancelled her scheduled evening flight for England. It was among many good moves she made at Evian.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Cresting a wave of South Koreans atop the Evian Championship leaderboard Saturday, Hyo Joo Kim fired a third-round 65 to move one shot clear on 15-under 198.

Kim’s latest impressive round of majors golf did not quite match her very first – a record 61 here as a teenager five years ago when she took the title in her elite debut.

Top-ranked Sung Hyun Park closed the gap in second by making a birdie on the par-5 18th for a 5-under 66 on the hillside course overlooking Lake Geneva.

Four shots back in a tie for third place were seven-time major winner Inbee Park (69) and Jin Young Ko (66), the world No. 2 who won the season’s first major, the ANA Inspiration, in April.

“I really think this golf course suits Korean players because all the golf courses in Korea are built in the mountain,” Inbee Park said. “We are really used to the undulations and the lies that we get.”

Play started early in cooler conditions and finished at 2:15 p.m. local time (1215 GMT) just as a forecast stormy downpour dumped rain on Evian Resort Golf Club.

Sunday’s forecast calls for persistent rain and a temperature drop of about 16 Celsius (30 degrees F) from the opening round heatwave on Thursday.

Evian has not escaped some fall-like weather despite switching back to July. The $4.1 million tournament was played in September since being elevated to majors status for the 2013 edition.

“I think I’m familiar with the course conditions when it has rained,” Sung Hyun Park said through a translator. She planned to stay dry later Saturday and “just lie on my bed and read comics.”

Four South Koreans were tied for the lead at 10 under after the leading group played the 8th, where Lee’s 3-foot par putt roll around the lip and came back toward her.

After Sung Hyun Park moved clear at 12 under by holing her bunker shot for eagle at the par-5 ninth, Kim made a birdie to close within one shot and then picked up shots at Nos. 13 and 14 to lead outright.

Park drew level with a birdie at the par-5 15th, then fell back when only Kim made a four-footer for birdie that both had at the par-3 16th.

Four players are at 8 under included former top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, whose 64 tied the lowest round of the week.

Also in that group were the best-placed Americans, Megan Khang (67) and tour rookie Jennifer Kupcho.

Kupcho, the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner in April, made eagle-3 at the 7th reaching the turn in 32 strokes, but needed a birdie on No. 18 to card 69.

Brooke Henderson (68) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 27th at 3 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (79) is tied for 69th at 7 over.

The Jutanugarn sisters from Thailand both made big moves up the leaderboard.

Ariya Jutanugarn cited the softer greens, after heavy overnight rain, for helping her on a course where her best finish is tied for ninth.

“I feel like it never fits my game because it is so narrow, and so tight,” said Jutanugarn, who has been world No. 1 in parts of each season starting in 2017.

Moriya Jutanugarn’s 66 lifted her to 7 under, one behind her younger sister.

Evian begins back-to-back Sundays deciding major titles. The British Women’s Open starts Thursday at Woburn, England.

Full scoring can be found here.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Taking advantage of an earlier start time to get ahead of bad weather, Mi Hyang Lee surged to a 4-under 67 on Friday to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Evian Championship.

The 37th-ranked Lee was at even through 15 holes on the day before a birdie-birdie-eagle finish in the best of still conditions. Her clubhouse target of 10-under 132 only got tougher as threatened lightning strikes forced a delay and the heat was swept away by gusting winds.

Top-ranked Sung Hyun Park, also playing early, plus seven-time major winner Inbee Park and Hyo Joo Kim, thriving after a suspension that lasted 1 hour, 5 minutes, were one shot back.

Lee cited good fortune in leading the newest women’s major at the midway point.

“I think I missed a lot of the green today, but was trying to think simple,” said Lee, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour. “I had a little luck also.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was at 1 under for the tournament after a 1-under 70 on Friday. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was even following a 70 in the second round.

Sung Hyun Park shot a bogey-free 5-under 66 but wasted a chance to lead. She three-putted the 18th for the second straight day.

“I knew I had to score low for the first and second rounds, so I was a little aggressive,” Park said through a translator, noting a forecast calling for rain through the weekend.

The late-afternoon delay disrupted first-round leader Paula Creamer, who was 9 under after making birdie on the 12th. Shortly thereafter, storm clouds moved on Evian Resort Golf Club.

Creamer returned on the 13th green and missed a 6-foot putt for her first bogey of the tournament. She dropped shots on Nos. 14 and 15 as the wind whipped up, then made a triple-bogey 6 after finding water at the par-3 16th.

Another bogey at No. 17 left Creamer seven shots worse off since the stoppage – giving back all she gained in a 64 during Thursday’s heat wave. Her 76 left her tied for 25th at 2 under.

“Unfortunately, this time it got me,” the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open champion said of the weather delay. “I was playing great, really consistent.”

Playing partners Inbee Park and Kim coped better, and Park credited the steep drop in temperature with helping her make three late birdies in a round of 68.

“Maybe I needed a break because of the heat,” she said, though the changing wind direction made judging distances tough. “We were definitely on the wrong side of the draw.”

Former No. 1 Shanshan Feng (66) was alone in fifth at 7 under. Feng, who won her only major at the 2012 LPGA Championship, missed the cut at the three previous majors this season.

“Finally get to see me on the weekend at a major,” Feng said.

A group at 6 under included Caroline Hedwall of Sweden, who also shot 64, and Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Amy Olson. Kupcho won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and has since turned professional.

Last year at Evian, Olson led for most of the weekend and was still one shot clear on the 18th tee, but she closed with a double bogey and finished one shot behind Angela Stanford. It was her career-best result in a major.

“A little bit of mixed feelings,” Olson said about being back at Evian. “Obviously I played well last year. I’m not going to say it still doesn’t hurt.”

Stanford relinquished her title after a 74 left her at 8-over 150, six strokes outside the cut line.

The highest-ranked American, No. 3 Lexi Thompson, shot 72 to finish at 7 over and was unhappy with the condition of the course and the way she felt good tee shots were punished.

“I’m actually very thankful that I don’t have to put myself thru that for another two days,” Thompson wrote on Instagram . “You’re a beautiful place Evian but that’s just too many bad breaks with good shots for me, so bye.”

That left the weekend free to prepare for the Women’s British Open, the year’s final major that begins Thursday in Woburn, England.

No U.S. player has won a major this season. Americans have taken home at least one of the five major titles each year since the Evian tournament was raised in status for the 2013 edition.

Organizers brought tee times forward Saturday for the second straight day.

Full scoring can be found here.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Paula Creamer is leading a major tournament again, shooting a bogey-free 7-under 64 Thursday in the first round of the Evian Championship.

When Creamer last topped a major leaderboard, she won the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open by four strokes to get her ninth title on the LPGA tour.

At the Evian Resort Golf Club, where she had a signature win as a teenager, the 32-year-old American moved one shot clear after making her seventh birdie on the par-5 18th.

“I feel really just in control,” said Creamer, now ranked No. 156 and whose last top-10 finish in a major and last tournament win were both in 2014. “It’s been several years where I felt like just all-in-all good in my shoes.”

Creamer dressed all in black as temperatures rose to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees F) in the French heatwave. She took 31 shots to reach the turn and stayed clear of four players who peppered the back nine with birdies.

At 6 under were Brittany Altomare, who earned a career-best runner-up finish in Evian in 2017, seven-time major winner Inbee Park, No. 2-ranked Jin Young Ko, and Mi Hyang Lee.

Two shots behind Creamer on 5 under were Jennifer Kupcho – the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner in April – and Mel Reid of England, who got the day’s only eagle at the 18th.

Top-ranked Sung Hyun Park was among three players on 4 under, three shots back.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp opened with a round of even 71, while Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was at 1-over 72.

The picturesque 6,527-yard course at Evian, on a hillside overlooking Lake Geneva, was ideal for Creamer to confirm her return to form after some tough seasons.

“Coming here obviously puts a big smile on my face,” said the 2005 rookie of the year, who at age 18 won the Evian Masters before it got its current status.

In the 2017 Evian, Creamer withdrew injured before having surgery on her left wrist. That led to a 2018 season with no top-10 finishes, not helped by a marriage breakup.

“It’s been crazy these last four or five years in my life,” she acknowledged. “It’s hard enough out here, then you bring your other life into the mix of things.”

Now, the 10-time winner on the LPGA tour said she feels “like mentally I’m in a very, very strong place.”

Another comeback was enjoyed Thursday by the player who Creamer followed as rookie of the year.

Shi Hyun Ahn, runner-up at the 2004 LPGA behind Annika Sorenstam, carded a 1-under 70 in her first round at a major tournament since April 2011. Ahn had returned to South Korea, gave birth to a daughter who is now aged seven, and returned to play on the domestic tour in her home country.

Kupcho is perhaps this season’s must-see rookie after becoming the first woman to win a tournament on the Masters course at Augusta, a long-time bastion of men-only membership.

The 22-year-old turned professional several weeks ago after a stellar college career at Wake Forest. She felt right at home at Evian, where she helped a U.S. collegiate team win the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup.

“It’s kind of nice to have a familiar place to go,” said Kupcho. “Before last year I had never been over to Europe, so coming over jet lag definitely messed with me a little bit.”

Kupcho had six birdies and one bogey in her 66.

Americans at the other end of the leaderboard included defending champion Angela Stanford, who shot 5-over 76, and third-ranked Lexi Thompson, who three-putted the 18th for a 77.

The Evian Championship went back to July in the calendar having been being moved to September when getting major status in 2013. The switch aimed to avoid seasonal rain which twice made it a 54-hole event.

Still, storms and rain are forecast for the weekend, and organizers moved Friday’s tee times forward by 30 minutes in a bid to beat the worst of the weather.

Full scoring can be found here.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Restored to July on the calendar, the Evian Championship begins back-to-back weeks of major championships in women’s golf for the first time in six decades on Thursday.

It shapes up as a tough test starting in a French heat wave for players who aim to play eight rounds of major golf in 11 days here and at the Women’s British Open.

“There’s so much emotion that is going to go into this,” defending champion Angela Stanford said Wednesday, pointing to a challenge for players unfamiliar with either Evian Resort Golf Club or next week’s venue at Woburn, England.

According to the LPGA Tour, playing majors in successive weeks has not been tried since 1960. This year’s schedule also condenses the five majors into exactly four months – from the April 4 start of the ANA Inspiration to the final round of the British Open on Aug. 4.

To become the fifth women’s major in 2013, the $4.1 million Evian Championship gave up its place in the July sun for typically rainy September. Entire rounds were twice swept from the record books before winners of 54-hole tournaments were crowned in 2013 and 2017.

“I do hate the cold. I was complaining a little when it used to be in September and colder,” said top-ranked Sung Hyun Park. In a Thursday storm two years ago, Park’s 6-over score after five holes was abandoned for a fresh Friday start. She missed the cut last year.

The 25-year-old South Korean never played at Evian when it was a regular LPGA Tour-sanctioned event in July from 2003 to 2012.

The hot, dry summer in eastern France is forecast to continue for the first two rounds with mid-30s Celsius (mid-90s F) temperatures.

Still, the par-71, 6,527-yard (5,968-meter) course is not set up quite as expected.

The greens are predictably harder and faster than in September – “runs more and bounces a lot more,” Park said – though the course is playing long off the tee.

“I’m a little bit disappointed in the fairways right now. A lot of players expected firm and fast, and it’s not,” Stanford said, adding the conditions could force players to “play more on defence.”

On undulating hills overlooking Lake Geneva, the course can be a demanding walk in the heat before the expected weekend arrival of thunderstorms. The forecast for Sunday’s final round is an autumnal 20 C (68 F) in the rain.

“I need to conserve energy,” 15th-ranked Jessica Korda said of playing back-to-back big events. “I know what I feel like after majors and how much time I like to take off.”

A win for Korda, or her 10th-ranked sister Nelly, would extend a streak of five straight first-time winners of majors.

In a period lacking a dominant player, 10 different players won the past 10 women’s majors, starting with In-Kyung Kim’s 2017 British Women’s Open title. All 10 are in the 120-player Evian field.

Stanford may be the biggest outsider among them, having gone without a top-20 finish since her victory here.

“Honestly, it’s been a very bad year,” said the forthright Texan, who could take inspiration from Americans who retained their title in France this month.

Stanford said she was in a Chicago park on July 7 watching a public screening of the United States soccer team’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final.

“It was so cool. I loved it,” Stanford said. “Sometimes you have to be bold, and they were bold.”

MIDLAND, Mich. – Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura ran away with the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational on Saturday, shooting an 11-under 59 in best-ball play for a six-stroke victory.

Clanton and Suwannapura took a five-shot lead into the final round after shooting an alternate-shot 63 on Friday at Midland Country Club in the LPGA Tour’s first-year team event. They finished at 27-under 253.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Suwannapura said. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”

Suwannapura won her second tour title, and Clanton her first.

Clanton earned spots the next two weeks in the Evian Championship and Women’s British Open. The first Auburn University player to win on the tour, she began the season without a full LPGA Tour card after finishing $8 out of the top 100 on the 2018 money list. Clanton has split time this year on the LPGA Tour and developmental Symetra Tour, winning the Symetra Tour’s El Dorado Shootout in April.

“I couldn’t even dream up to have won a Symetra event earlier this year and then to come out and win with Jasmine,” Clanton said. “It’s so funny, this is the tournament that I wanted to come and play in. I was like, ‘Team event, I’m in, let’s go.’ So, I’m blessed for the opportunity, I’m blessed that Jasmine came and let me come play with her.”

Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee closed with a 58 to finish second.

“We both played better than we did the last time we played four-balls,” Lee said. “We just had a better rhythm out there. I think we just fed off each other. Jin Young had so many birdies today, so I just tried to keep up pretty much.”

“I’ve had full status before, but it will allow for me to kind of sit back and relax a little bit and kind of set my own schedule,” Clanton said. “I think it’s just going to free me up because it’s been something that I’ve been working on. I guess I was quite down for the first couple years.”

Suwannapura, from Thailand, also won the Marathon Classic last year.

Clanton and Suwannapura each bogeyed the first hole, then each had eight birdies.

“Actually, felt pretty good on the first tee,” Clanton said. “Didn’t hit a great shot into the green, but I’m not going to lie, the majority of my rounds start with bogeys. So I told Jasmine, I was like, ‘Dude, we’re ready. We’re ready to go. We got it out of the way. we’ll go low.”’

Sisters Ariya Jutanugarn and Moriya Jutanugarn tied for third with Na Yeon Choi and Jenny Shin at 20 under. They each shot 61.

“So much fun,” Ariya Jutanugarn said. “Need to be patient with alternate shot, but also even best ball we still have to be patient because we feel like you going to make birdie hole after hole, but it’s not going to happen.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp were fifth at 19 under after a 9-under 61 round. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Australian partner Robyn Choi shot a 6-under 64 to finish 36th at 6 under.

Full scoring can be found here.

MIDLAND, Mich. – Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura shot a 7-under 63 in alternate-shot play Friday to open a five-stroke lead in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, the LPGA Tour’s first-year team event.

Clanton and Suwannapura birdied five of the last seven holes on the front nine and played the last five holes in 2 under, making three birdies and a bogey.

“I think because we pretty chill, like ‘You hit a bad shot, like OK, I’ll fix it, don’t worry,”’ Suwannapura said. “So everybody kind of like relaxing the game today, so the result pretty good.”

They had a 16-under 194 total at Midland Country Club, with a best-ball round left Saturday.

“Each hole’s an opportunity,” Clanton said. “How many opportunities can we give ourselves. One of those things where as many fairways and greens as you can hit and if the putts go in, great.”

Suwannapura, from Thailand, won the Marathon Classic last year for her lone LPGA Tour title. Clanton is winless on the tour. They had an alternate-shot 67 on Wednesday and shot a best-ball 64 on Thursday.

“Today, I think what we did was quite impressive just with our ball-striking in general,” Clanton said. “Jasmine’s putting’s on point. I think you’ve just got to look at it as it’s just another opportunity to play and the more that you can think of the fact that it’s just another day on the golf course, we’re going to go out and try to do what we’ve been doing, the better it’s going to be.”

Sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn had a 64 to move into a tie for second at 11 under with Simin Feng-Ruixin Liu (67), Na Yeon Choi-Jenny Shin (67) and Paula Creamer-Morgan Pressel (69).

“I felt like first round, don’t want to miss any shot because I don’t want my sister to have like tough shot and I kind of worry and scared,” Ariya Jutanugarn said. “But today we already make the cut and nothing to lose, so we keep playing golf.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp fired a 69 to finish the day tied for sixth at 10 under, six shots back of the lead. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Australian partner Robyn Choi combined for a 75 and are in a tie for 36th at even par.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and partner Daniela Darquea of Ecuador as well as Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay and Germany’s Sophia Popov missed the cut.

Full scoring can be found here.

MIDLAND, Mich. – Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer shot a best-ball 6-under 64 on Thursday for a share of the second-round lead in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, the LPGA Tour’s first-year team event.

Stephanie Meadowand Giulia Molinaro had a 61, and Frenchwomen Celine Boutier and Karine Icher shot 62 to match Pressel and Creamer at 10-under 130 at Midland Country Club. The teams will play alternate shot Friday and close Saturday with a best-ball round.

“You have two balls in play, you can play much more aggressively,” Pressel said. “I know I certainly could play aggressively knowing my partner had my back the whole way around.”

Trying to get into the U.S. Solheim Cup mix, Pressel and Creamer birdied six of the last eight holes on their opening nine – the course’s back nine – then parred the last nine.

“Morgan played awesome on the back nine, which was our front nine,” Creamer said. “I couldn’t really get anything going on this side. But we’ve got two more days left so we’re not in bad position by any means. It wasn’t our ‘A’-game today, but still very pleased with where we’re sitting.”

Meadow, from Northern Ireland, and Molinaro, from Italy, had eight birdies in a 10-hole stretch, making five straight on Nos. 5-9.

“We talked about it and said, ‘We’ve just got to time it right,” Meadow said. “There’s something about when your partner’s in a little bit of trouble we kind of pick up the pace and try to make birdie and kind of have their back. I think that’s what we did really well today.”

Boutier and Icher birdied four of the five and closed with three straight birdies.

“Our games complement each other really well,” Boutier said. “When I was struggling a bit, she was there to save the team, and the opposite, so it was pretty good.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, the first-round leaders after a 65 in alternate-shot play, had a 66 to fall a stroke back with Kim Kaufman-Kris Tamulis (62), Tiffany Chan-Peiyun Chien (62), Pajaree Anannarukarn-Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras (63), Mirim Lee-Amy Yang (64) and Cydney Clanton-Jasmine Suwannapura (64).

“Would have liked to make a few more birdies,” Henderson said. “I feel like it’s very unusual that we have a better score alternate shot than in best ball.”

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Robyn Choi of New Zealand fell from third into a tie for 23rd at 5-under after a round of 68.

Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City and partner Sophia Popov of Germany and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and partner Daniela Darquea of Ecuador missed the cut of 4 under.

The French duo of Celine Herbin and Joanna Klatten had a 60, the best round of the day, to get to 7 under.

Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson were 5 under after a 64. Sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda (67) and Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn (65) also were 5 under.

Full scoring can be found here.