Kupcho, Maguire shoot best-ball 60, lead Dow

MIDLAND, Mich. -- Jennifer Kupcho and Leona Maguire changeable a 10-under 60 successful better-ball play Friday to instrumentality the second-round pb successful the Dow Championship, the LPGA Tour's lone squad event.

The Solheim Cup rivals had a 13-under 127 full astatine Midland Country Club aft opening with an alternate-shot 67 connected Thursday.

"The program contiguous was conscionable to springiness ourselves arsenic galore chances arsenic we could, effort to get 2 chances connected each hole," said Maguire, from Ireland. "For the astir part, we did that. It was bully to commencement disconnected with a birdie and benignant of an eagle precise aboriginal connected to get the shot rolling."

They had a one-stroke pb implicit Cassie Porter and Gemma Dryburgh, the first-round leaders who parred the last six holes successful a 62. The teams volition play different alternate-shot circular Saturday, and adjacent with a better-ball circular Sunday.

"Lots of play to go," said Kupcho, the 2022 victor with chap American Lizette Salas. "I deliberation conscionable benignant of staying wherever we're astatine and continuing what we're doing the champion we can."

The teams of Sarah Schmelzel-Albane Valenzuela (61), Manon De Roey-Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (61) and Yan Liu-Yahui Zhang (62) were 11 under.

"It was a large round," Valenzuela said, "I consciousness similar I decidedly provender disconnected Sarah's energy. She makes it truly casual for maine connected the course."

Lexi Thompson and Meghan Kang, tied for 2nd aft an opening 67, had a 65 to driblet into a necktie for ninth astatine 8 under.

"Fairways and greens, spread a fewer much putts," Thompson said. "That's the goal."

Defending champions Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul, some among the apical 5 successful the women's satellite ranking, were 6 nether aft a 66.