Welsh ace Becky Brewerton and Sweden 's Linda Wessberg set the target to beat in the second round of the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe, taking a one stroke lead on a total of ten-under-par 134.
Brewerton, the home favourite from Abergele, who led overnight with the English amateur Sophie Walker, and Wessberg, 26, from Gothenburg, remained well placed to collect their maiden Ladies European Tour titles.
Brewerton tacked a 69 onto her first round 65 while Wessberg had a second successive 67 at Machynys Peninsula Golf and Country Club in Llanelli.
Brewerton held the first round lead with English amateur Sophie Walker but made her move with four birdies and one bogey.
Wessberg, playing in the same match as Brewerton, had four birdies, one bogey and crept up on her playing partner by sinking a ten foot eagle putt at the par-five 18 th hole.
“It was great playing with Becky and Trish Johnson. We had an incredible day,” said Wessberg.
Brewerton, 23, added: “The wind was a lot stronger today and more difficult so I think the draw has evened itself over the past two days.
“It doesn't surprise me that there are so many good players on the leader board. I think anyone within four or five shots of the lead is in with a chance this week. The competition doesn't really start until the last nine holes on Sunday. If there was anywhere I could win though, this would be the best place in the world to do it!”
Brewerton played the front nine of her second round in one-under-par after a birdie at the third hole. She hit the turn on eight-under. On the back nine, she made her move with two birdies at the 13 th and 14 th holes.
At the 13 th , a long par five, she hit a solid drive into wind and laid up with a wood, before chipping to two feet and holing the birdie putt. At the par-four 14 th , she boomed her drive down the middle of the fairway, pitched to the front and holed an excellent 20 foot uphill putt.
That took her to ten-under-par with a one-shot lead. She then moved to 11-under by birdying the par-four 16 th , where she put a six-iron to six-feet and holed the putt. She dropped her first shot in 35 holes at the 17 th , where she three-putted from 20 feet but made a safe par at the last to sign for her 69, three-under for the day.
“I would have taken 69 at the beginning of the day and 35 holes without a bogey is not too bad,” she said.
England 's Laura Davies had a 69 and was on nine-under with Amanda Moltke-Leth of Denmark , who had a 67 and Sweden 's Helen Alfredsson, the European Solheim Cup Captain, who had a 68.
Davies tied for second in last year's tournament, three shots behind the winner, Kirsty Taylor and is hoping to collect her first win since the 2004 AAMI Women's Australian Open this weekend.
“I want to win but if I never win again I don't think I've got much more to prove,” she said.
“It was not easy today. The conditions were tough and Becky has obviously played very well. I know how well I've been playing to be nine under. She will be playing in the last group tomorrow and will take a big gallery with her, which will be fantastic.”
Moltke-Leth, 29, from Copenhagen , is aiming for her first victory. She teed off early in the morning after a half-hour delay due to thunderstorms at the course and finished her second round around the time that Brewerton was just setting off.
English amateur Walker, 22, the joint overnight leader, had a 71 and was one of three players on eight-under-par along with England 's Danielle Masters and Australia 's Nikki Garrett, who both played in the morning and had 67.
England 's Lora Fairclough had a 64, the best score of the week, and moved to seven-under-par. However she failed to match her country woman Kirsty Taylor's 61 of last year, when she set a Tour record low round at Machynys en route to her first win. Taylor had a 73 today to finish on a one-under aggregate, making her chances of a successful title defence somewhat slimmer.
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