Minjee Lee near Thailand leader

Minjee Lee during the second round in Pattaya. Image: Getty

A late bogey expense Australian Minjee Lee the straight ahead halfway through the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament today in Pattaya.

Restrained in the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, Lee has suddenly found her best shape in Thailand.

The best-ranked Australian player in the world at number 7, Lee fired a second round 69 to jump to the top of the main board in the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament for much of the day.

The 23-year-old superstar from Perth was almost flawless in her second round and started a shot behind first-round leader Eun Hee Ji of South Korea. She caught Ji by the time she birdied the first, fifth and seventh, and then drove away, her T-shot bombed on the 240-meter par-four 15th on the green and nearing eagle.

She also made a crucial par-save putt after problems on the par-four 14th hole, but an error on the par-five 18th took her the direct lead. Shortly before the green for two, her chip dripped back to the two-layer green of the putting surface and left her further away than when she started. A bogey followed who brought Lizette Salas from the US and Jenny Shin from South Korea to part of the leadership.

Then Shin, in the back group, made a three-meter birdiepier to take the direct lead at 11-under, a shot for Lee and Salas at 10-under. Another Australian, Katherine Kirk, is also in the mix at seven-under-par.

Meanwhile Nuria Itturios took the lead in Spain during the ALPG Tour in the coordinated Ladies European Tour Australian Ladies Classic with a second round 67.

But Doey Choi, the 19-year-old Sydney amateur who led after the first round, clung to second place, while the Hannah Green went from Western Australia to 36 holes to third.