China’s Feng consolidates lead

Shanshan Feng flirted with the course record before carding a sizzling second-round 65 on Thursday to consolidate her lead in the Dubai Ladies Masters. Starting her second from the 10th tee, the world number six from China - the highest ranked players in the field — produced a stunning birdie blitz, picking up shots on holes 11, 12, 14, 16 and 17 to make the turn at five under. On her inward journey, she mixed three birdies with a lone bogey on the par-3 fourth hole - her only dropped shot in 36 holes - to go a whopping 13-under for the tournament, a good four shots of England’s Felicity Johnson who followed her first-round 68 with a 67. Cindy Lacrosse of the US, Joanna Klatten (France) and Caroline Masson (Germany) and Gwladys Nocera (France) were a further one shot back on eight-under 136 while defending champion Lexi Thompson kept her chances alive with rounds of 69 and 68. The half-way cut was made at one over with 60 players making it to the final two rounds. Among the notable who missed the mark included Solheim Cup player Maria Hjorth, LPGA rookie Jodi Ewart and Dubai-based amateur Kavita Sehmi. The morning session belonged to Feng, the only player from mainland China to register a victory on the LPGA Tour in June earlier this year. From Gulf Today