Japan’s Ai Miyazato shot a bogey-free 65 to grab a share of the lead at the LPGA’s LOTTE Championship on Thursday while local favourite Michelle Wie failed to make the cut.
Miyazato, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, needed just 25 putts in Thursday’s second round to reach an eight-under-par 136 total and is tied on top of the leaderboard with Spain’s Azahara Munoz, who shot an eight-under 64.
“My putting was really good today,” Miyazato said. “I hit really solid on so many putts and I hit the ball well. I didn’t miss any fairways. My short game was really good, too. That’s why I shot seven-under.”
The same could not be said for Wie, who struggled in blustery conditions and missed the cut for the third consecutive tournament.
She shot 76 to go with a six-over 78 in the opening round. Wie had a quadruple-bogey nine on the par-five first – her 10th hole of the round.
Munoz, chasing her first LPGA Tour win, holed out from 100 metres for eagle on the par-four sixth. She also rolled in eight birdies, including four on the final five holes.
“On six, I holed my second shot and then hit another two like that close,” Munoz said. “It was a really nice round.”
Jimin Kang (66) and Cristie Kerr (68) were at six-under.
World No.1 Yani Tseng fired an even-par 72 to drop into a tie for 12th at three-under. Tseng has won three of the first half dozen tournaments this season.
Australian Karrie Webb is tied for 18th with a two-under-par total of 142.