Tickled pink about leading a major

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND — Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand is standing out at the Women’s British Open for more than just her pink golf ball.

The 97th-ranked player has yet to record a bogey in successive rounds of 5-under 67 that will give her a one-stroke lead heading into the weekend at the year’s fourth major.

While first-round leader Minjee Lee and Mamiko Higa encountered problems down the stretch at a rainy Royal Lytham to give up two-shot leads on Friday, Phatlum played a steady hand and put her pink ball in all the right places — namely out of the many bunkers that define the course.

The 28-year-old Thai missed a 10-foot putt for birdie in front of the clubhouse on the 18th green but that didn’t get her down. She was 10 under par overall.

“I’ve had a game plan,” Phatlum said. “I try to plan every shot, every hole.”

She has only one top-10 finish all year. Phatlum’s only top-10 at a major was a tie for seventh at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2014.

In a three-way share of second place on 9 under is Lee, who-double-bogeyed No. 16 and dropped another shot at No. 17 to post a 70.

Home favourite Georgia Hall (68) was in the tie for second place along with Higa.

Brooke Henderson of Smith Falls, Ont., aced the par-3 ninth hole on her way to a 70, which put her in a six-way tie for eighth place at 5 under.

RICHARD HEATHCOTE GETTY IMAGES Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand is ranked No. 97 in the world, but back-to-back bogey-free rounds have put her at 10 under and in sole possession of first place at the midpoint of the Women’s British Open.