South Korean Choi takes control at China Ladies Open

Choi Hye-jung opened up a three-shot lead through two rounds of the Hyundai China Ladies Open on Saturday when the South Korean veteran fired her second consecutive 68 in wet and windy conditions to get to eight-under 136 at the national championship.

Fellow South Korean Kim Hye-youn shot a 70 over Qing Yuan Lion Lake Country Club's Moon layout in Guangdong province to sit alone in second at the 400,000-US-dollar tournament, while compatriots Chung Ye-na (69) and Jang Ha-na (71) were four shots off the pace.

World No. 6 Feng Shanshan of China, the top-ranked player in the field, a co-sanctioned event between the China LPGA Tour and the LPGA Tour of Korea, was five shots back after bogeying her final hole for a 71.

Starting on the back nine, Choi, the overnight co-leader, got her round going when she sank a 24-footer for birdie on the 11th hole. After making the turn at one-under 35, she then reeled off three straight birdies starting at the first hole to put herself in contention for her first win since 2011.

"The weather is worse than yesterday, especially when we teed off. The shower is heavy with stronger wind. I played more club than usual. I am happy to keep rolling from yesterday and have a good score in bad conditions," said the 29-year-old Seoul native who played five years on the US LPGA Tour with limited success.

"This is my last event in 2013, so I wish that I finish on a high note. I haven't won in a long while so I am looking forward to it."

Kim Hye-youn, who won back-to-back Hyundai China Open titles in 2010 and 2011, birdied the final hole by sinking a 15-foot putt to get herself in contention. Last year, the 24-year-old stumbled to a double-bogey six on the final hole to finish runner-up, two strokes back of winner Kim Hyo-joo.

"Last year I missed a great opportunity to win three times in a row," she said. "Now I have another chance and I will do my best to try to catch up tomorrow. I think I can win."

China No. 1 Feng lamented her final-hole bogey as up to then she had hit every green in regulation.

"I missed many birdie putts today. I can't read the greens, neither could my caddie," said the 24-year-old Guangdong native, a two-time winner on the US LPGA Tour this year.

"Tomorrow I won't think about winning. Today I could have played better than 66 if my putts drop. So after this I will adjust my putter. Maybe tomorrow I will hit a very low score."

Julie Lu of Chinese Taipei scored the third hole-in-one of the tournament when she aced the 165-yard ninth hole using a 9-wood.