Lee-Anne Pace had slipped down the leaderboard with a Friday round of 74 at the Ladies European Masters, but she took advantage on moving day and shot 68 at Golf Club Hubbelrath to co-lead.
The LPGA Tour winner dropped a shot at the first, but that would be her last bogey of the day.
A birdie at the sixth set her round at level-par through the turn, then she caught fire on the back nine.
‘It was a slow start. I made a bogey on the first again and it hasn’t been kind to me, that first hole. I didn’t quite get it going until the ninth hole and we had a little chat after that, like, “Come on, you’re only two behind,” and I picked up the pace a little bit, pardon the pun,’ she said.
Birdies at the 11th and 12th moved her into a share of sixth place at that time, then she birdied the closing two holes to join Belen Mozo at the top.
Pace is targeting a 10th victory on the Ladies European Tour, having already won nine times between 2010 and 2014.
The world number 42 has everything in her favour this week in Germany, where another victory is well within her grasp.
