"Paula has got one of the greatest mental games, and obviously golf games, out there," said Park of Creamer, who in turn revealed the pleasure she gets from seeing her pal playing well. "I like to see her do well in her golf. For both of us to go out and compete is a good thing, but there are a lot of golfers very, very close together."

Paula Creamer of the USA waves to the gallery after a putt during the second round of HSBC Women's Champions (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

South Korean Mi Hyun Kim is one who is close behind. The 10-year tour veteran leapt up to a share of third place after carding the best round of the day; a four-under-par 68. She sits alongside red-hot Australian Katherine Hull, whose second round 69 elevated her to five under par for the tournament.

"You can make birdies out there but you have got to make sure you're below the hole to give yourself a good start," said the 2008 CN Canadian Open champion, who had four birdies alongside one bogey.

Hull jumped into contention with consecutive birdies on 16 and 17 before engaging in one of the lively debates with her caddie 'Portland' John Powell that led Lorena Ochoa's caddie David Brooker to compare them to Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street and has made them hot favourites to win some of the awards at the HSBC Caddie of the Year Awards.

"One of the awards at the caddie night this week is the 'biggest difference of opinion'; I think John and I will be in the running for that one!," she declared, before adding a comment that even her highly-opinionated bag carrier couldn't argue with: "It's very much a jam-packed leaderboard and it's going to be exciting. Right now it's very congested."

Ai Miyazato kept herself in contention with a level-par round to remain at four under par along with Sun Young Yoo. But co-leader Jane Park sees holder Ococha as still very much in with a shout of successfully defending her title.

"You can never forget about Lorena, because the girl is crazy! She makes putts from everywhere! You can never ever count her out!"

Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand hits her tee shot on the sixth hole during the second round of the HSBC Women's Champions (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

(HSBC Golf and David Ferguson March 6, 2009)