Aditi Ashok carded seven birdies against two bogeys for a 5-under 67 that moved her to tied 22nd from tied 54th at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic here.
Aditi was 8-under and eight shots behind the leader, Sei Young Kim.
The Korean had six birdies in her first seven holes en route to a 7-under, 65 to take lead.
Kim was 16-under through 36 holes with 18 birdies and led by four shots over Yu Liu.
Aditi, starting from the 10th, had a bogey on 11th, but quickly recovered with birdies on 13th and 14th. She added one more on 18th but dropped a shot on 17th. On her second nine, she birdied third and ended the day with three in a row from seventh to ninth.
The 25-year-old Kim, a six-time LPGA winner, is searching for her first win of the season.
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Liu, who turned in a 9-under, 63, was in second at 12-under and there were five players in a tie for third at 11-under, including major champion In Gee Chun and defending champion Katherine Kirk.
Emma Talley posted a 4-under, 68 yesterday and hit 13 of 14 fairways to stay right in the mix at 11-under.
The cut was made at 4-under, one of the lowest in the history of the LPGA. The record is 5-under, set last year at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup.