Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, shot a second-round 66 to reach 14-under and move into a share of the lead at the TOTO Japan Classic alongside compatriot Shiho Kuwaki who carded a 65.
“I am very happy I shot a 6-under today. I play good today,” said Hataoka. “Still my putting was good but my tee shot was only six time hit on the fairway so I need to improve my long game… (On putting) I just focus on start line and speed control.”
Hataoka’s accuracy off the tee was not the best – she hit just six of 14 fairways – but she made up for it on the greens, continuing a good trend of solid putting that started in round one. She made two 12-foot putts on Nos. 2 and 4 for her first birdies of the day, then added three more on holes 7-9 thanks to phenomenal approach shots that left her within three feet on each hole. She made the turn in 31, at that point three strokes ahead of the nearest chaser. A bogey on 10 set her back, but she took advantage of both par-5s on the back, Nos. 12 and 17, leaving herself with a one-foot tap in putt on 17 to add another stroke to her lead.
Kuwaki, playing alongside Hataoka, made three birdies on the front on holes 3, 5 and 7 before making the turn at 10-under overall and three strokes behind Hataoka. She birdied 10 while Hataoka bogeyed, closing the gap, and also birdied the par-5 12th. Just one stroke behind Hataoka at that point, Kuwaki matched her birdie on 17 then added a last birdie on 18 to take the co-lead on the very last.
“Yes, my shots are pretty steady this week. I have a lot of birdie opportunities. Everything goes very smoothly… I got something good feeling during the round yesterday and kept that momentum,” she said. On playing with Hataoka, she added, “I really enjoyed it very much. It was my first time playing with her and I tried to learn something from her today. I learned a lot from her, especially shots from the rough.”
China’s Xiyu Lin shot a second bogey-free 66 on Friday. After feeling some shoulder discomfort early this morning, she rallied through the pain with two quick birdies on 1 and 2, eventually adding four more to the card later in the round. She is tied with Japan’s Mone Inami, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, and Akie Iwai, who held the first-round lead after tying the tournament 18-hole scoring record of 63.
