Australia's Sarah Jane Smith had five birdies in a four-under-par 68 Friday to take a two-stroke lead at the halfway point of the LPGA Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Smith, in search of her first LPGA tour title, who had shared the overnight lead with Spain's Carlota Ciganda, goes into the weekend with a nine-under total of 135, two shots in front of Mexico's Gaby Lopez, South Korea's Hur Mi-jung and Colombia's Mariajo Uribe. Lopez fired a second-round 65 that included an eagle at the par-five second hole, where she stuck her 195-yard second shot two feet from the pin. Uribe had five birdies without a bogey in her 67. Hur carded a 66 to climb the leaderboard. Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson is the highest-ranked player in the field at seventh in the world. Henderson rebounded slightly from her two-over first round with a 71 Friday that left her 10 shots off the pace. Woodland edges clear Gary Woodland fired a six-under-par 65 to open up a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the US PGA Tour's OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico Friday. The 32-year-old produced a bogey-free round with six birdies and 12 pars to head into the weekend at Playa del Carmen at 13-under 129. Woodland leads by one from Webb Simpson, who shot a second consecutive six-under-par 65 to be 12-under after 36 holes. One behind Simpson and two off the lead on 11-under was Scott Piercy, who shot a five-under-par 66 comprised of six birdies and one bogey. Ben Martin meanwhile was one of the day's biggest movers, climbing to nine-under overall after his seven-under-par 64. Martin was joined by Chris Kirk, John Huh, Mexico's Abraham Ancer, Canada's Adam Hadwin, Russell Knox of Scotland and Charles Howell. Defending champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland meanwhile just scraped into the weekend after making the cut, which came at two-under, with a six-under-par 65 following his opening round 75. Sutijet eyes victory Thailand's Sutijet Kooratanapisan fired a three-under-par 69 to seize the lead at the Manila Masters Golf Tournament Saturday, with teenage sensation Phachara Khongwatmai in hot pursuit. Sutijet, at 16-under, sits two shots clear of compatriot Phachara. Phachara also shot a 69. India's Jyoti Randhawa battled all day to card a two-over 74 and fall back to an equal share of third place. Alongside him at 13-under are countryman S.S.P. Chawrasia, who mixed his card with three bogeys and four birdies for a 71, South Africa's Jbe Kruger and Australian Terry Pilkadaris. Noren leads by 2 Swede Alex Noren moved two shots clear after the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge Friday at the storm-hit Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. The 34-year-old winner of seven European Tour events, including three this season, added a five-under-par 67 to his first-round 69 for a 136 halfway total. South Africans George Coetzee (69), Louis Oosthuizen (66) and Jaco van Zyl (69), Chris Wood (69) of England and Fabrizio Zanotti (68) of Paraguay share second place. Former British Open champion Oosthuizen claimed the lowest round of the day — a six-birdie 66 — over the 7,161-metre (7,831-yard), par-72 layout in north-west South Africa. Spaniard Alejandro Canizares (68) on 139 trails Noren by three shots.
