Norway’s Suzann Pettersen rebounded from her lone bogey with three back-nine birdies to take the second-round lead at the LPGA Lotte Championship in Hawaii on Thursday.
The world No.6, a 10-time LPGA Tour winner, shot a three-under-par 69 to reach 10-under 134, one stroke ahead of defending champion Ai Miyazato of Japan.
Miyazato carded five birdies in a late six-hole stretch to maintain second position.
Australian seven-time major winner Karrie Webb hit a two-over 74 – including four bogeys – to finish tied 37th after two rounds. She sits on one-under alongside countrywoman Julia Boland, who had seven bogeys over the second 18 holes.
Pettersen had dropped two strokes behind Miyazato on the 10th, but later recovered during windy conditions at the Ko Olina course.
“Even on the holes where I felt like I should have made a birdie and I made a par, I said, ‘Par is not going to hurt me today’ – so, a decent day,” Pettersen said.
“It was tough to play solid golf.”
There were no complaints from Miyazato, who relished the gusty conditions.
“I grew up in the wind and I like to play in this wind,” Miyazato said. “Hawaii is always windy place and always fun to play this weather conditions.”
Pettersen had consecutive victories late last season in South Korea and Taiwan, and won a Ladies European Tour event last month in China.
Although this tournament is mid-Pacific, she clearly enjoys being away from the US mainland.
“The closer I get to Asia, the better I feel with my game,” Pettersen said.
Spain’s Beatriz Recari, the Kia Classic winner last month, shot 70 to be three strokes back for tied third along with South Koreans Hyo Joo Kim and Hee Kyung Seo.
Kim, the 17-year-old who played in a group with Thai teenager Ariya Jutanugarn and 15-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko, had a 71, while Seo shot 72.
Second-ranked Stacy Lewis was alone at six-under after a 71.
Ariya, the first-round leader after a 64, ballooned to a 75.
“I hit a lot of bad shots today,” she said. “I cannot control my irons and I still miss a lot short putts.”
Top-ranked Inbee Park, coming off a victory two weeks ago in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, was three-under after a 71.
