SINGAPORE — Stacy Lewis heads into the weekend at the HSBC Women's Champions with a two-stroke lead — the second week in a row she's led a tournament after 36 holes. At the LPGA Thailand last week, her putting failed her in the third round and she shot a 76 and eventually tied for third place. She doesn't want to make the same mistake at Sentosa Golf Club. Lewis set up her weekend by holing six birdies in a 6-under 66 in the second round on Friday. The reigning US LPGA Tour player of the year was at 11-under 133 overall. Lewis led a pack of six players tied for second: Ariya Jutanugarn (66), Na Yeon Choi (66), Chella Choi (67), Paula Creamer (67), Sun Young Yoon (68) and overnight leader Azahara Munoz (70). Top-ranked Yani Tseng stumbled with a double bogey on the par-5 4th hole and shot 73. She was in a tie for 21st at 3-under. Lewis has started the new season with the same form that saw her win four titles last year and climb to fourth in the world rankings. The American matched her career-best round of 63 last week in Thailand, and has kept sinking long birdie putts in Singapore, including a 25-foot putt up a slight incline on the first hole Friday. Kiradech leads qualifiers Japanese amateur Hideki Matsuyama averted a second successive heartbreak as he and compatriot Daisuke Maruyama grabbed two of the four British Open slots available at International Final qualifying Asia Friday. Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat topped the two-day event at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand with a flawless nine-under-par 63 for a 131 13-under total, while China's Wu Ashun clinched the other ticket to Muirfield after two 68s left him on eight-under. Matsuyama agonizingly missed out on a British Open place last year when he dropped six shots in the final three holes. The rollercoaster three-under-par 69 means he can look forward to a third major appearance after playing in the US Masters in 2011 and 2012. — Agencies
