(Reuters) - Pornanong Phatlum demonstrated the growing depth of Thai golf talent when she vaulted to the halfway lead at the Women's British Open in Lancashire on Friday.
Phatlum carded a five-under-par 67 in the second round for a one-stroke advantage at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
She posted a 10-under 134 total, while Australian first round leader Minjee Lee (70), Japan's Mamiko Higa (69) and England's Georgia Hall (68) were nipping at her heels on nine-under.
Phatlum, ranked 97th in the world, has no great recent form to speak of, and has never won an LPGA event, but the 28-year-old has been a solid performer in nearly a decade on the tour.
Her position atop the leaderboard offered a reminder that there is more to Thai golf than the Jutanugarn sisters -- world number one Ariya and number 11 Moriya.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Hugh Lawson)