Grace Kim is embracing the weekend challenge ahead after fashioning another back-nine surge to remain right in the mix in second place midway through the Evian Championship.
Kim rolled in three birdies in her last eight holes in a three-under-par 68 to briefly claim the clubhouse lead at women's golf's fourth major of the year in France.
After holding a share of the first-round lead, the 24-year-old Sydney star ended Friday just one shot behind South Korean pacesetter Somi Lee, who posted a second straight 66 to soar to 10 under.
Kim leads another strong Australian challenge, with an even-par 71 leaving Gabriela Ruffels in a tie for seventh at six under at the postcard perfect Evian Resort Golf Club nestled between Lake Geneva and the Alps.
Minjee Lee bounced back spectacularly from a horror start to sit in a tie for 12th at five under, while 2024 runner-up Stephanie Kyriacou played her way inside the top 20 with a round of three-under 68.
Admitting to being reduced to tears after shooting 80 in round two to miss the cut on debut at Evian in 2023, Kim now has an understanding of the course's nuances that she hopes will hold her in good stead on the weekend.
"The rookie year that I played out here, I had like nine over and I cried,” she said.
"But I can definitely see now how much it is worth, that learning experience.
"The last two years I've played it was definitely a learning experience. For someone to dominate this course and capitalise it, you have to know how this course is going to bite at you.
"Course management has been definitely a key factor this week."
Just two weeks after snaring a third career major at the Women's PGA Championship in Texas, Lee had been expecting to kick on after her brilliant opening 66.
Yet a woeful start with three consecutive three-put bogeys and a double bogey at the sixth meant she had to play catch-up.
She did so superbly, recording six birdies over her last 12 holes in a level-par 71 that left the Perth ace among the chasing pack.
Lee is now five shots behind her pacesetting namesake, alongside world No.1 Nelly Korda (70) and four others, including top-ranked English amateur Lottie Woad (69).
Leader Lee nabbed six birdies and an eagle in a superb second round to set a cracking pace.
She's coming off her first LPGA Tour win at the Dow Championship team event last month with Jin Hee Im, and is in confident mood.
"This course is so beautiful but the green is so tricky, so I'm just practising distance," Lee said. "I'm just focused on distance. Miss left, miss right, never mind. Just distance - is it perfect?"
American first-round co-leader Jennifer Kupcho carded a 69 to lie in third place, just a shot behind Kim.
Among the big names to miss the two-over cut mark were US Open champion Maja Stark, world No.3 Lydia Ko and No.4 Ruoning Yin.
