Minjee Lee is on track for her third top-10 finish from her past three LPGA starts after the midway point of the Kingsmill Championship.
In a mixed day, Lee had four birdies and two bogeys for a two-under par 69 to be in a share of 10th spot.
She is the best-placed Australian at five-under, seven shots behind halfway leader Lexi Thompson.
After missing successive cuts, Lee tied for third in the ANA Inspiration in March and was equal fifth in last month's Texas Shootout.
Fellow Australian Su Oh is a shot behind Lee after stumbling on her outward nine.
Lee had a double bogey at the par-4 8th and bogey on the par-4 ninth before regaining her composure with three birdies on the back nine in a round of 70.
Lee and Oh will be joined at the weekend by Karrie Webb (70) and Sarah Jane Smith (74) who are both one-under par.
Thompson shot her second straight six-under 65 on Friday to take a three-stroke over playing partner Gerina Piller.
She is playing her third tournament since losing the ANA Inspiration in a playoff after being penalised four strokes for a rules violation that a TV viewer spotted.
The long-hitting Florida player had six birdies in a bogey-free round on Kingsmill's River Course.
She waited out an hour rain delay in the middle of the round.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko was four strokes back at eight-under par after a bogey-free 67.
Trying to hold off So Yeon Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn for the No. 1 spot, Ko is winless since July.
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