South Carolina yesterday with an improved round of 76, which left her six strokes out of first place with one round remaining today.

Dina Taylor has taken over first place from Shauna Estes following her two-over-par 74, which gives her 149 after two rounds. Taylor is three strokes ahead of Estes who had a 78 to go with her 74 the day before. In third, a further stroke behind, is defending champion Kim Little on 153 after a 77 yesterday.

Erin O'Neill moved up four places to fourth after shooting a 74 yesterday for a total of 154, one ahead of Marshall. Rheba Mabie is on 156 after her 80 yesterday and completes the top six.

Marshall, who was fifth in last year's tournament, has a good chance of a top-three finish, though she admits she would be satisfied with a finish in the top five. Despite Taylor's three-stroke lead Marshall thinks the race is still wide open.

"Anything can happen, she can have a bad day,'' said the teenager who shot a 79 in the opening round on Tuesday. "I'm just going to go out and play my own game. I putted better today and hit the ball a lot better.'' Marshall drives up to North Carolina with her parents at the end of the tournament presentation today and will travel to Flint, Michigan, tomorrow to prepare for the Great Lakes Buick event, which begins on Monday. The 17-year-old will compete in six tournaments in the United States up to the first week in August.