KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Ashley Lau slipped 27 places to joint 40th at the halfway stage of the Paris Olympics women's golf competition with a five-over 77 on Thursday.
Ashley, who opened with an encouraging 72, endured a difficult day at Le Golf National, dropping seven strokes, including a double bogey on the last hole.
Her two birdies, including a fine 46-footer at the 12th, did little to help her cause.
With a two-day aggregate of five-over 149, Ashley will enter the final 36 holes 13 shots behind leader Morgane Metraux of Switzerland, who fired a 66 in the second round.
Metraux holds a slender one-shot advantage over China's Yin Ruoning (65), while Lydia Ko of New Zealand (67) sits a further shot back at five-under overall.