Tanaporn on target to retain title

Bangkokian one stroke ahead at Thailand Open

Reigning champion Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai set a course for back-to-back wins in the Thailand Ladies Open when she led the field by a stroke at the midway point yesterday.

Tanaporn was involved in a marathon 9-hole play-off with Cho A-ram last year before winning the maiden title of her professional career. Lakewood Country Club is the favourite course of the Bangkokian, who enjoyed a 2-under 70 for a two-round total of 139 yesterday.

Fellow Thai Patcharachuta Kongkapan, who was leading the field by two strokes after 12 holes, suffered a triple-bogey on the 14th and a bogey on the final hole to finish the round with a par score.

The stoutly-built Patcharachuta moved up one rung from joint fifth on Wednesday to joint 4th place with a total score of 141 together with Filipina Jennifer Rosales and Japanese rookie pro Miho Mori, who shot the day's lowest score of 5-under 67.

First-round leader Thidapa Suwannapura had a bad day, falling prey to the fairly strong winds to finish with a 4-over 76. "I could not hold my game together," she said.

South Koreans Kim Su-yeon and round one joint leader Lee Eun-kyoung are tied in second spot - one stroke adrift on 140. Yesterday Kim signed a 2-under 70 card while Lee shot even par.

Tanaporn denies feeling pressure as the defending champion. "I didn't feel anything different from yesterday. It's getting better for me.

Today I had a good feel with the putter on the front nine but was not able to do the same on the home stretch," said the Bangkok-native, who picked up birdies on holes 7, 16 and 18 but dropped a shot on the 12th.

"There's not going to be anything special in tomorrow's round. I am going to use the same approach - I don't want to do something new that could spoil my card."

Lee is also looking to take the safe route. "Today it was windy and I tried to be safe rather than sorry. If the conditions are good then I'll switch over to a different mode," she said.

Patcharachuta, who is looking forward to her LPGA Tour debut this season, hopes to make amends today for the two mistakes that cost her the lead.

"Come April, I'll be playing some 10,000 kilometres from home in my rookie season on the LPGA Tour. Certainly, I'm going to play a lot more this year, My game is getting better and I want to have a good year," said Patcharachuta.

Mori, currently the most popular rookie professional golfer in Japan, turned pro last year after being crowned the best amateur at the Suntory Ladies Open. "I played pretty good today and hope to do even better in the final round tomorrow," said the 19-year-old.

Rosales, who has two wins on the LPGA Tour, hopes to make it a good week after her 2-under 70 yesterday, losing one stroke on the final hole.

"I was playing well but was a little undecided on the choice of clubs as the winds kept coming and going," she said.

Leading second-round scores

139 - Kongkiatkrai Tanaporn (Tha) 69-70;

140 - Kim Su-yeon (Kor) 70-70; Lee Eun-kyong 68-72

141 - Mori Miho (Jpn) 74-67; Kongkapan Patcharachuta (Tha) 69-72; Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 71-70

142 - Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 72-70; Chichiro Ikeda (Phi) 68-74; Nontaya Srisawang 71-71; Bae In-ji (Kor) 68-74; Iida Maria Priscilla (Bra) 71-71; Hsieh Yu-Ling (Tpe) 69-73

143 - Sirisampant Wannasiri (Tha) 71-72; Hori Natsuka (Jpn) 72-71; Park Hyun-jin (Kor) 70-73

144 - Morakotphan Janya (Tha): 71-73; Onnarin Sattayabanphot (Tha) 74-70; Ardina Dottie am (Phi) 73-71; Mukaiyama Yui (Jpn) 72-72; Yuko Fukuda 71-73; Thidapa Suwannapura (Tha); Park Haen-nim (Kor) 73-71; Loomboonruang Pinrath am (Tha) 71-73.