Three-way LPGA tie for first in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Katie Futcher and Jenny Shin moved into a first-place tie with Angela Stanford Friday at the LPGA's HSBC Women's Champions tournament in Singapore.

Futcher and Shin each shot 5-under-par 67 in the second round and Stanford, the first-round leader, had a 70. They are all at 8-under 136 after 36 holes.

Three others -- Choi Na-yeon, Ai Miyazato and Park Hee-young -- are in fourth at 5-under. Park had a 68, which was the best round of the day next to the scores turned in by Futcher and Shin. Miyazato was 2-under for the second round and Choi had a 71.

Six more players are tied for seventh, four strokes behind the leaders.

Futcher was 5-under after 10 holes. A birdie at the eighth hole -- the first of three in a row -- gave her a share of the lead. She had a birdie at 16 but slipped back with a bogey at 17. That was her first bogey of the tournament.

Shin also had six birdies and one bogey.

Stanford opened with eight pars before birdies at Nos. 9 and 10. A bogey at 13 -- her first of the week -- was countered with a birdie at 15.