THE temperatures soared as high as a scorching 40 degree Celsius but it didn't melt golfer Kelly Tan's game at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Malaysian carded a two-over 73 in the second round at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, her second straight two-over round for a four-over 146.
Before play started at 6.30am, the 60 golfers were warned about the fiery temperatures and advised not to exceed 18-holes of play per day.
Kelly brought along cooling towels, which helped to keep down her body temperature after every three to four holes.
The 28-year-old's score card was similar to the first round, where she recorded bogeys on the first, fourth, ninth and 10th holes, and a double bogey on the 16th. Her birdies came in the sixth, 14th, 15th and 17th.
Kelly is tied 49th with Italy's Giulia Molinaro, Argentine Magdalena Simmermacher and Morocco's Maha Haddioui who shot a hole-in-one on the seventh hole.
"It was better than yesterday (Thursday) though the score did not reflect that, and I missed a lot of putts on the front nine. It was super-hot today but I kept putting those cooling towels on, so that helped a lot," said Kelly.
"For tomorrow, I will be really aggressive, and I know there are a lot of birdies out there. So, if I have a good round, it will still put me in contention for a medal."
American World No 1 Nelly Korda is set to close in on the Olympic gold after firing a superb second round of nine-under 62.
She is four strokes ahead of India's Aditi Ashok and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Emily Kristine Pedersen who are in second spot.
Overnight leader Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden carded a creditable 68 but still trailed Nelly by five.
South Korean Park In-bee, who won the gold in 2016 Rio, produced a one-under 70, and is 10 behind Nelly,
Southeast Asia's best performers were Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit and the Philippines' Yuka Saso, who played an even 142. They are joint 34th with Slovakia's Pia Babnik, Great Britain's Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Canadian Brooke Henderson.
