Rancho Mirage, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Lexi Thompson fired an 8-under 64 on Friday to vault into a share of the lead of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the season's first major on the LPGA Tour.
Se Ri Pak carded a 2-under 70 during her second round on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club to join Thompson at 7-under- par 137.
"I've been here so many times I know what exactly I need to do," said Pak, who is a five-time major winner. "This week is a most important time for me, but as I said, just trying to take it a little back and trying to think about just the week of the tournament and own my own best, and hopefully on Sunday giving a great big smile to myself."
Michelle Wie (71) is alone in third place at 6-under, while first-round leader Shanshan Feng tripped to a 1-over 73 to fall into a share of fourth with Cristie Kerr (70) at 5-under 139.
Anna Nordqvist (69), who won last week at the Kia Classic for her second title of the season, Catriona Matthew (68) and Morgan Pressel (70) are tied for sixth at minus-4.
Thompson started the day seven strokes off the pace, but put together a scorching 64 to vault to the top of the leaderboard.
She opened her bogey-free round with five straight pars before rolling in a birdie at the 15th. She then capped three straight birdies from the 17th with a putt from about 30 feet at the first to jump to 3-under.
Back-to-back gains at the third and fourth pulled her within one of Feng's overnight lead, and Thompson later birdied the seventh and ninth to end at 7- under.
"I feel really comfortable on this golf course. I always say this is my favorite tournament of the year, just coming here it's so beautiful, like really nice weather, and the fans are amazing," said Thompson. "I get to hit a lot of drivers, so I just aim up the right side and hit my little draw. I really enjoy it out here."
Pak, meanwhile, had a single birdie and eight pars during each of her front and back nines to also end at 7-under.
Wie started on the back nine and opened with a birdie at the 10th, but gave that shot back with a bogey at the 13th.
After parring the next six holes, she rolled in a birdie at the second to again reach 6-under and parred her final seven holes to remain there.
"Just couldn't get anything going today, but at the same time I'm happy with the 71 today," Wie said. "Hopefully I can get things going again this weekend."
Feng played her first nine holes at even par by countering a bogey at the 12th with a birdie at the 16th.
She was able to grab a share of the lead with about a 15-foot birdie at the second, but bogeyed the fourth to fall back to minus-6.
Feng again reached 7-under with a birdie at the seventh, but she closed her round with back-to-back bogeys at the eighth and ninth to fall two shots off the pace.
NOTES: Pak is a 25-time winner on the LPGA Tour, while Thompson is seeking her fourth career win and first major victory ... Thompson's 8-under was the lowest second round in tournament history since the event became a major in 1983 ... Nordqvist also won the Honda LPGA Thailand in February ... The cut line fell at 5-over 149, with 73 players advancing to the weekend. Among those to miss the cut were Yani Tseng and Pat Hurst ... Paula Creamer made her 37th straight cut in a major, tying Tiger Woods for the most as a professional.
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