22-year-old Thai Arpichaya Yubol shot a 61 on Friday, the best score of her young career, to take ten strokes off par and take the lead in the Shoprite LPGA Classic after 18 holes.
Yubol is not having a great season on the LPGA Tour and has only reached the weekend rounds twice in eight tournaments this season.
On Friday, she took advantage of two excellent pushes to establish an excellent rhythm and take control of the tournament, which is only 54 holes.
Yubol, who started on the 10th hole, started his day with four pars. She then accelerated the pace between the 14th and 18th pennants to quickly climb the rankings. In the space of five holes, Yubol collected four birdies and an eagle to take six shots in five holes.
Then on the back nine, she again had a good sequence with four birdies in five holes to finally have taken ten strokes away.
She has only one top-10 in her career and she got it last week at the United States Open.
A duo of South Koreans occupy the second and third rows. Jenny Shin (63) is two shots behind Yubol, while Narin An (64) is just behind. Seven golfers share fourth place.
Canadian Brooke Henderson follows in a tie for 11th place, having taken five strokes off par. Henderson made six birdies against a single bogey for a card of 66.
For her part, Quebecer Maude-Aimée Leblanc had problems with a round of 74. She made three bogeys and a double bogey, but she only obtained two birdies.
Alena Sharp (67), Maddie Szeryk (71) and Savannah Grewal (74) are the other Canadians participating in the tournament.
