(Photo credit score: Carter Skaggs/The Enquirer-USA TODAY Sports)
Shiho Kuwaki carded her second straight 7-under-par 65 on Friday to grab a share of the lead on the Toto Japan Classic in Omitama, Japan.
Kuwaki is tied with fellow Japan native Nasa Hataoka (66 on Friday) at 14-under. They are two strokes forward of China’s Xiyu Lin (66) and Japan’s Mone Inami (68) and first-round chief Akie Iwai (69) on the Taiheiyo Club, Minori Course.
Kuwaki made seven birdies — together with every of the ultimate two holes — to cap her second bogey-free spherical.
“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 (on Thursday) and kept that momentum,” Kuwaki mentioned.
Hataoka recorded 5 of her seven birdies on the entrance 9. She overcame a bogey on No. 10 with birdies on Nos. 12 and 17 to take her third in a single day lead or co-lead of the 2023 season.
“I am very happy I shot a 6-under today. I play good today,” Hataoka mentioned. “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 admitted the familiarity of the Taiheiyo Club and enjoying in entrance of the house crowd served her effectively.
“I play a couple of times,” she mentioned. “My home course is right next to this golf course, like 10 minutes from here, so very similar golf course. I have practiced a lot this area. … This weekend my friends and family more coming so I will do my best.”
Lin overcame some shoulder discomfort to card her second bogey-free spherical of the match and eighth of the season.
“I struggled with my shoulder a little bit in the morning, so I definitely didn’t expect this to happen when I was hitting balls on the range because I was hitting them pretty poorly,” Lin mentioned. “But I think it get better throughout the day and I hit lots (of) quality shots and I think overall it’s a really good round.”
Inami additionally notched her second bogey-free spherical of the tourney.
Japan’s Sora Kamiya (67) sits alone in sixth place at 11-under, one shot forward of an eight-golfer contingent.
Defending champion Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland shot a 69 to reside in a tie for twenty second place.
–Field Level Media