Taiwan’s Lu Ya-Huei (呂雅惠) capitalized on a smooth short game on Day 2 of the Party Golfers Ladies Open to post a 3-under 69 to join 18-year-old amateur Lai Yi-Ting (賴怡廷) (71) at a two-round total of 6-under. The duo will take a three-shot lead into the final round on Friday and tee off at 8:39 in the morning.

Overnight leader Liang Yi-Lin (梁宜羚) carded a 3-over 75, falling into a four-way tie at 3-under with Tsai Pei-Ying (蔡佩穎) (70), Chang Hsuan-Ping (張瑄屏) (70), and Thailand’s Titiya Plucksataporn (73).

A cut was made today to send 51 pros and 19 amateurs who finished the 36 holes at 12-over or better into the final day at the National Garden Golf and Country Club in Miaoli. The winner will earn a NT$600,000 check and the runner-up takes NT$300,000.

Lai is now in good position for her first tour victory while Lu is sprinting toward her eighth.

“If I can keep doing what I was doing today, I got a fairly big chance,” said Lu, a former TLPGA number 1. “I will try to stay at each moment and hit it with my usual rhythm, and hope I can react and adjust quickly with the right strategy seeing what others do tomorrow.”

Lu took 28 putts, a few more than it should when she had to take extra on a couple occasions from some 9 to 20 feet, finishing the round at 3-under with five birdies and two bogeys. The low-round for today was made by 2014 runner-up Chien Pei-Yun (錢珮芸), who registered a 4-under 68 to climb up into a tie for 11th and six strokes off the lead.

Lai continued another solid performance with a second-round 71. Her tee shot on the par-3 fifth landed just about one inch from the cup, which was the highlight amidst an impressive front-nine 33, putting her as the sole leader. But after the turn, the momentum halted after three-putting on the thirteenth that resulted in a bogey. Lai further missed a few three to four footers on the greens, including one on the last hole which led to a second bogey.

“I don’t want to think about winning, just want to play my game,” said the college freshman. “I’ve always wanted to play with ‘Teacher Lu’. She’s such an amazing player especially with her control and smart approach in the irons and putter. It will be a nice learning experience out there.”

“Actually, I didn’t feel much different seeing I was on the top of the leaderboard when I made the turn. It was just really a tough back nine. I kind of lost my concentration,” said Lai. “Last time after I had my personal low round with a 69 on the first day of the TLPGA Future Open on the Tong Hwa Golf Course, I was almost too overly pumped up and played awful in the last two days. And yesterday, the 67 was a new low. I kept telling myself to stay relaxed and consistent. I think I did a pretty good job today.”

First-round leader Liang used 32 putts, nine more than yesterday, in a disappointing round of 75. The 2015 KENDA Tires TLPGA Open winner now sits three shots back.

Tsai’s bogey-free 2-under 70 has put her back in contention with also just three shots to overcome. She said she had just a satisfactory round and “should be setting up those putts closer” if she should stand a chance in the final round.

This is the second annual Party Golfers Ladies Open, with an international field of 90 players vying for a total purse of NT$3 million. The title sponsor, the Party Golfers, is an amateur golf team comprised of local businessmen, who share the passion for the golf sport and align with the vision of the TLPGA. They collected donation among team members to cover up 80% of the expenses to push the launch of the Party Golfers Ladies Open, in hope of creating a platform for local female golfers to further excel in the game and to help propel them into the Rio Olympics in 2016.