Alison Lee joins Nasa Hataoka in the lead

CME Group Tour Championship R2

Alison Lee of the United States and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka lead by one heading into the weekend at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Shooting a second-round score of 64 to reach 14-under, this is the first time since the 2015 Meijer LPGA Classic that Lee has been in the lead after the second round, but she is not unfamiliar with being in the first-place position as of late. Lee has made headlines recently for tying with Minjee Lee at the BMW Ladies Championship, where she ultimately lost to the Aussie after a one-hole playoff.

After a bogey-free 66 on Thursday, Lee was sitting in a tie for fifth place headed into the second round. She quickly climbed the leaderboard, making back-to-back birdies on her first two holes of the day. On the par-4 4th, Lee made her first of three pars on the front nine before making a birdie on No. 4 and her only bogey of the day on the 6th. The American made another pair of birdies on holes 6 and 7. She made two more sets of back-to-back birdies in her last five holes to finish at eight-under par for the second round, and sit at 14-under par for the tournament.

“Over the last few weeks, putting myself in contention, playing four rounds of really good golf, and almost winning a few times, it’s definitely ignited a fire in me. Definitely given me a lot more motivation to work hard, and it’s shown me that I do still have what it takes to win out here,” said Lee. “That’s definitely the goal for this week. I mean, my last through finishes were second, first, second, and I really want that win really bad. I feel like I’ve been waiting so long. I’ve been working so hard for that. Yeah, still a lot of golf left. Hopefully I can keep my head down and keep grinding through to the weekend.”

One of the first-round leaders, Hataoka maintained her spot in first place after another round at Tiburón Golf Club. Her round got off to a slow start with two pars and a bogey in her first three holes to fall a shot. She birdied the par-4 4th hole before hitting a string of pars until No. 9, where she made her second birdie of the day. Hataoka made the turn at one-under par, and went on to make three pars, five birdies and one bogey to move into a share of the lead alongside Lee.

“On 17 of course I was trying to make a birdie, but it was tough chip shot from the left of the green. It was big break for me, but I hit a good chip shot and I made a good putt,” said Hataoka. “The 18th hole, I hit it okay, but my putting was really good, about like 30 feet.”

Three players sit in a tie for third behind the leaders. South Korea’s Amy Yang had the round of the day, shooting the only 63 on Friday and tying her lowest 36-hole score that she previously set at the 2018 CPKC Women’s Open. Australia’s Minjee Lee carded a 67 like Hataoka, recording her best 36-hole score since the first time she played at the event in 2015. China’s Ruoning Yin shot a 68 with five birdies and one bogey in her first appearance at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Pos.PlayerTo ParR1R2Total
T1Alison Lee-146664130
T1Nasa Hataoka-146367130
T3Amy Yang-136863131
T3Minjee Lee-136467131
T3Ruoning Yin-136368131
T6Xiyu Lin-116766133
T6Atthaya Thitikul-116766133
8Ayaka Furue-106965134
9Patty Tavatanakit-96669135
T10Gaby Lopez-87165136
T10Lilia Vu-87066136
T10Brooke M. Henderson-86967136
T10Hyo Joo Kim-86967136
T10Nelly Korda-86868136
T10Anna Nordqvist-86571136
T16Rose Zhang-77166137
T16Elizabeth Szokol-77067137
T16Yuna Nishimura-77067137
T16Jasmine Suwannapura-77067137
T16Grace Kim-76968137
T16Madelene Sagstrom-76869137
T16Yuka Saso-76869137
T16Charley Hull-76869137
T16Jennifer Kupcho-76770137
T16Yu Liu-76671137
T16Hye-Jin Choi-76671137
T16Georgia Hall-76671137
T28Pajaree Anannarukarn-67068138
T28Cheyenne Knight-66969138
T28Allisen Corpuz-66969138
T28Linnea Strom-66870138
T28Ashleigh Buhai-66870138
T33Bianca Pagdanganan-57366139
T33Ally Ewing-57168139
T33Hannah Green-57069139
T33A Lim Kim-56970139
T33Celine Boutier-56970139
T33Leona Maguire-56871139
T39Gemma Dryburgh-47565140
T39Jenny Shin-47268140
T39Ariya Jutanugarn-47070140
T39Linn Grant-46971140
T39Hae Ran Ryu-46971140
T44Maja Stark-37368141
T44Sei Young Kim-37170141
T44Carlota Ciganda-37170141
T44Megan Khang-37170141
T44Angel Yin-37170141
T44Alexa Pano-37071141
T44Aditi Ashok-37071141
T44Esther Henseleit-36873141
T52Sarah Kemp-27171142
T52Jin Young Ko-27171142
54Peiyun Chien-17271143
T55Danielle KangPar7569144
T55Stephanie KyriacouPar7371144
T55Perrine DelacourPar7272144
T55Chanettee WannasaenPar7272144
59Andrea Lee+27274146
W/DJodi Ewart Shadoff74
Updated: November 18, 2023
CME Group Tour Championship 2023
Date: 16th November - 19th November, 2023
Location: Tiburón Golf Club, Naples, Florida
Purse: $7,000,000