Australian golfer Sarah Jane Smith is two shots off the lead at the halfway point of the LPGA Tour season finale in Florida.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Paraguayan Julieta Granada share a one-shot lead after the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship in the Florida city of Naples.
Ciganda fired a round of five-under-par to be seven under for the tournament along with Granada, who shot one under for the day.
American Morgan Pressel is outright third and one shot behind the duo after a terrific round of six under.
Smith, American Michelle Wie and Germany’s Sandra Gal are tied fourth at five under.
Smith enjoyed a round of three under while Wie sizzled with a five under.
Wie is in a position to consider a million ways how a great year can get even better.
On a tough day that only rewarded the best shots, Wie holed out for eagle with a pitching wedge on her way to a 67 that moved her high enough on the leaderboard to get into position for a $US1 million ($A1.08 million) bonus.
All the players would love to win the LPGA Tour season finale because it’s a big title with $US500,000 ($A541,000) for first place.
But none of Wie’s rivals on the second-round leaderboard have a mathematical chance at the bonus for winning the points-based Race to CME Globe.
Wie, who captured her first major this year at Pinehurst No.2 in the US Women’s Open, is No.4 in the running.
Only the top three players – Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park and 17-year-old Lydia Ko – can win the bonus by winning the tournament.
“All I want is an opportunity, a chance,” Wie said.
“I’m really proud of myself for giving myself that today. I just want to go out there tomorrow and put myself in a great position for Sunday.
“That’s all I want, and that’s all I’m asking for. Whatever happens, happens.”
She did get some help from the top three.
Ko is two under, with Lewis six shots off the lead at one under, while Park is one over.
“I don’t think anybody is running away with this thing,” Lewis said.
“I think it’s going to end up being pretty bunched up at the end and probably a playoff on Sunday.”
