DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Honolulu's Michelle Wie shot a 4-under-par 68 yesterday to move up to second place midway through the Dubai Ladies Masters.

Wie made six birdies and two bogeys, and trails South Korea's In-Kyung Kim by two strokes. Kim shot a bogey-free 65 for a two-round total of 135.

Wie started with three straight birdies, but missed chances on the final three holes.

"I feel like I'm having a lot of fun on the golf course. But I also feel like I'm playing pretty consistent," Wie said. "I want to make a lot more birdies and keep playing better every day."

By the time Wie teed off, Kim had already posted her 7-under-par round.

"I saw the scoring was really low and I was like, 'I have to start out like this.' So I just went out there and it kind of worked out," Wie said.

Kim, who won the Longs Drugs Challenge this year, believes she could have done better.

"I feel very happy with my round, but I had some more chances for birdies," she said. "I could have gotten a little bit lower. The little putts were hard to read."

Tania Elosegui (66), who made a hole-in-one on No. 7, and Amy Yang (70) are at 138.

Overnight leader Maria Hjorth (73) made a triple-bogey 8 on the final hole and dropped into a tie for fifth at 139.