LAGUNA – Sung Hyun Park carved out a brilliant card that hardly came as a surprise for the field and gallery expecting such a world class act from the world’s best – a bogey-free six-under 66 that all but sealed The Country Club Ladies Invitational championship here.

Unable to produce a result by her standards with shaky putting Wednesday, Park proved impeccable from tee to green this time, her solid iron shots producing five birdies from close range while highlighting her 32-34 round with a long putt from 25 feet on the difficult par-4 No. 4.

“Putting was the key. I stroked them better than the first round. I made a few adjustments and it worked perfectly,” said Park, who hit five birdies in the first round but stumbled with two bogeys, including a three-putt mishap on the par-4 No. 15, which she birdied yesterday.

With a nine-under 135 aggregate, the 25-year-old two-time Major champion moved 18 holes away from marking her rise to the world top ranking with a victory although amateur Yuka Saso kept impressing the world No. 1 with her own superb game in another hot, windy day.

“She’s really good. She made some great shots today,” said Park of the reigning Asian Games gold medalist, who nearly matched the Korean ace’s fiery closing frontside assault with a 33 for a 68.

But from two down after 18 holes, the Fil-Japanese fell farther back at 139, now four strokes behind but still hopeful of pulling off a shock final round charge with her equally fierce form and confidence boosted by Park’s inspiring remarks.

Though half of the 125-player starting field still have to complete their second round play, no one is expected to make a big surge given the playing conditions in the afternoon.

“I had to keep up with her (Park). Otherwise, her lead would be too much,” said Saso, who chipped in for birdie from 20 yards on No. 11 then came through with a pair of back-to-back birdies inside nine feet from Nos. 1 and 7 that negated her lone bogey on the fifth hole.

She braces for a third straight face-off with the six-time LPGA Tour winner in today’s final round of the 54-hole championship put up by ICTSI serving as the third leg of the LPGA of Taiwan and fifth stop of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour’s 2018-19 season.

“It’s been wonderful playing with her. I hope to further learn from her,” said Saso.

But while the reigning two-time Philippine Ladies Open champion stayed at second, LPGA campaigner Dottie Ardina hobbled trying to offset Park and Saso’s power, ending up with three bogeys against a birdie for a 74. She stood at joint fourth at 146 with Korean Lee Ji Hyeon, who shot a 71, but now 11 strokes off the Korean.

Princess Superal, four down at the start of the day, tried to press her bid with a 35 at the back but lost her momentum, finishing with two bogeys against a birdie at the front for a 72 for a 145 for third.

Tzu Chi Lin of Taiwan bombed out with a 77 after a 71 for a 148 in a tie with Thais Nanthikarn Raksachat (72), Thanuttra Boonraksasat (73) and Wannasiri Sirisampant (75), while Pauline del Rosario skied to a 77 for joint seventh at 150 with Thai Nattagate Nimitpongkul, who rallied with a 71, and Hsin Lee of Taiwan, who limped with a 76.

Others who made the 60 plus ties cut at 158 were Thais Chakansim Khamborn (77-151) and Renuka Suksukont (75-151), Daniella Uy (77-151), Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu Ling (74-152), Huang Ching (74-152), Koreans Lee Jeong Hwa (72-152), Kang Ji Won (75-152) and Park Jin Hee (80-152) along with local amateurs Nicole Abelar (77-155), Sunshine Baraquiel (85-157) and Mafy Singson (82-158) in the tournament backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.