CHONBURI, Thailand, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Anna Nordqvist shot even-par 72 Friday in retaining a one-stroke lead after 36 holes of the Honda LPGA Thailand golf tournament.
Nordqvist had three birdies and three bogeys in the second round and is at 6-under 138 halfway through the tournament.
Julieta Granada and Azahara Munoz each shot 68 and Sandra Gal had a 70 to tie for second at 5-under. Stacy Lewis, with a 69, and Michelle Wie, who was 1-over, are tied for fifth at 4-under.
In the race for the world No. 1 ranking in women's golf, top-ranked Inbee Park shot a second consecutive 71 and is tied for 11th at 2-under with six other players, including No. 2-ranked Suzann Pettersen who was 1-over in the second round. Park is the Honda LPGA defending champion.
Nordqvist opened her second round with eight pars but pulled away from the field with birdies at Nos. 9 and 10. She gave back a stroke at the 11th hole but returned to 2-under with a 12th-hole birdie for a three-stroke advantage.
But she had bogeys at 16 and the par-5 18th that tightened the leaderboard going into the weekend.
