Ayako Uehara pulled within one stroke of the season's final women's major golf competition, the Evian Championship, after Saturday's second round.
The 33-year-old, who has yet to win on the U.S. LPGA tour, had seven birdies and two bogeys for a two-round total of 8-under-par 134, one back of Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn.
Former world No. 1 Ai Miyazato, playing the final tournament of her career, started the day in a tie for eighth with Uehara, but shot a 2-over 73 to drop to 27th after a three birdie, three bogey, one double bogey round.
"This will be the first time for me to play in the final group on the last day of a major," Uehara said.
"I suppose I'll be nervous, but I want to enjoy my round. I want to do my best so that we can both finish in the best possible way," she said referring to Miyazato.
With an increasingly large and vocal gallery cheering her on, Miyazato had trouble with her putts.
"I was in a good position (after the first round), so I had wanted to buckle down and improve my score," said Miyazato, who won her first overseas championship here at the Evian Resort before the tournament became a major event on the tour.
Bad weather on the opening day forced the event to be shortened to three rounds this year.
Harukyo Nomura was tied for 35th after shooting a 73.