Korean Ladies Festival Mi-Hyun No. 1, Se-Ri No. 2, Grace-No. 3

`Nobody would give up.`

A trio of Korea`s professional women golfers, Kim Mi-Hyun (24, KTF), Pak Se-Ri (24, Samsung Electronics), and Grace Park (22, Ewha Univ.) sit atop the leader board in the second round of the AFLAC Champions (purse $750,000).

A three-time second place winner including two playoffs defeats, Mi-Hyun Kim held onto the lead for the second consecutive day after shooting a one-under 71 with 4 birdies and 3 bogeys, totaling an eight-under-par total of 136 in the second round at the Magnolia Groves Crossing Course, Mobile, Alabama.

After six weeks break, Pak Se-Ri fired a daily best five-under-par round of 67 to pull within one shot of the lead with 7 birdies and 2 bogeys.

Kim`s first victory or Pak`s fifth victory is likely to be determined in the third round in which both golfers play in the same group. But an excessive sense of rivalry may bring about the worst result for both golfers. If so, with a long absence in the leader board, the third place Grace Park (6-under-par 138) may capture the best chance to earn a win in nine months since the victory in the Office Depot Championships in January.

Meanwhile, the defending champion Karrie Webb (Australia) recorded one-under-par 143 to share the fifth place. And the Williams champion Park Hee-Jung (21, Channel V Korea) moved up to the 29th place shooting one-under-par round for four-over-par 148.

Ahn Young-Sik ysahn@donga.com