Top rookies share lead in Shanghai Classic

Asia's top rookie professionals dominated the leaderboard during second-round play of the CTBC Shanghai Ladies Classic on Saturday as Chinese Taipei's Cheng Ssu-chia (68) and Thailand's Supamas Sangchan (69) shared the 36-hole lead at eight-under par.

Nineteen-year-old Ye Ziqi (67) was the top Chinese mainland player at one stroke back in third at the co-sponsored China LPGA Tour and LPGA Tour of Chinese Taipei event. Fellow Chinese rookie pro Shi Yuting (68) and Thailand's Wichanee Meechai (69) were three strokes off the pace in the RMB800,000 tournament at Tianma Country Club.

Cheng, a 17-year-old who won four times as an amateur before turning pro late last year, moved into contention for her first pro win with a strong finish in the perfect conditions in Shanghai. Starting her early-morning round from the Tianma back nine where she could only muster even par, the teenager turned it up on the back (the front nine) with four birdies over the first six holes.

"I have had two smooth days of golf, maybe the most smooth in the half year since I turned pro. I felt comfortable and happy. It's a long while without such a pleasant mind. Irons and putters went well," said Cheng.

"The only disappointment is that I wasted a couple of shots. My lag putts were not good and left me a long distance. Tomorrow, I need to be careful and limit my mistakes."

Supamas, the overnight co-leader, came out blazing with four consecutive birdies to start her round. The 19-year-old twice got to nine-under during her round for the outright lead but could not hang on with bogey fives at the ninth and 16th holes.

"It was the same as yesterday, I felt really relaxed," said the Sukhatai native, a member of the golf-medal winning Thai team at last year's Asian Games. "When I made all those birdies in a row I just felt there was a lot of golf to play. I had a bad drive on the ninth and missed the green. On the 16th, I hooked my second shot into the rough."

With the chance to get her first win as a pro, Supamas said she just wanted to stay relaxed.

"Of course I want to play my best, but I will need to be better than today. I can't worry about what other players are doing, I just need to take it step by step."

Ye, another rookie pro, carded a bogey-free round to keep in the hunt for her first pro title.

"Today I was steady without big mistakes, I kept it together until the final hole," said the national team member.

With a third place in Australia her best finish so far as pro, Dalian native Ye said she would just play her game tomorrow and take it as it comes.

"It's my rookie year. The first professional win definitely was deep in my heart. But I wouldn't think it about during the final round."

Overnight co-leaders Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras and Kumi Uchiyama dropped to four shots back after each carded a round of 73.

Rebecca Tsai was the top amateur after a posting a strong round of 68 to sit five shots off the lead. Endi