Norway’s Suzann Pettersen posted a seven-under 65 to grab a two-stroke lead with Inbee Park of South Korea halfway through the LPGA’s Taiwan Championship on Friday.

They were on 10-under 134 at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club.

Defending champion Yani Tseng (69), the local favourite, slipped into a tie for third with Catriona Matthew of Scotland (66) at eight-under.

Pettersen, who won in South Korea last weekend beating Matthew in a playoff, recorded seven birdies, four on her last six holes, to catch first-round leader Park.

Park sank four successive birdies to reach 10-under after nine holes, bogeyed the 17th but reclaimed the lead with a birdie on the last.

Matthew started better than she finished, while Tseng struggled to get going after a bogey on the seventh, managing birdies only on Nos.13 and 18 to stay in contention.