Azahara Munoz and Ai Miyazato didn’t let the Ko Olina wind get into their heads during Thursday’s second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.
THE LEADERS
After the second round Thursday at Ko Olina Golf Club:
| Ai Miyazato |
71-65—136 |
| Azahara Munoz |
72-64—136 |
| Jimin Kang |
72-66—138 |
| Cristie Kerr |
70-68—138 |
| Meena Lee |
74-65—139 |
| Suzann Pettersen |
70-69—139 |
| Brittany Lang |
69-70—139 |
| Paula Creamer |
73-67—140 |
| Inbee Park |
70-70—140 |
| Jiyai Shin |
69-71—140 |
| Angela Stanford |
69-71—140 |
| Haeji Kang |
74-67—141 |
| Brittany Lincicome |
70-71—141 |
| Morgan Pressel |
72-69—141 |
| So Yeon Ryu |
71-70—141 |
| Elisa Serramia |
70-71—141 |
| Yani Tseng |
69-72—141 |
|
Munoz carded a 64 that included holing her second shot from 102 yards for an eagle at the par-4 sixth and Miyazato joined her at 8-under 136 with a stellar 65 that left them atop the leaderboard entering today’s third round.
“I hit another two like that close,” Munoz said, holding her hands about a foot apart. “It was a really nice round.”
Miyazato wasn’t knocking down the flag sticks, but she needed only 25 putts in her bogey-free round to keep pace with Munoz. The leaders are two shots clear of American Cristie Kerr (68) and Jimin Kang (66) at 6-under 138. Kerr also had a bogey-free round and is right in the thick of things.
“I hit a lot of really good shots and made some great par saves when I had to,” Kerr said. “The last couple of days I really haven’t tried that hard and I think that’s made a difference.”
Despite blustery conditions, there were six rounds of 6 under or better.
Granted, the trades put on a show, but they were basically the same as in the opening round.
“I’m kind of used to it now,” Miyazato said. She grew up on Okinawa, where the conditions are similar to Hawaii’s. “But still, it’s not easy out there; just try and take one shot at a time and just focus on my game.”
Munoz, the 2008 NCAA champ from Arizona State, has yet to win on tour.
Miyazato has seven victories, her last at the Evian Masters in 2011.
Another shot off the pace at 5-under 139 were 2006 Fields Open champ Meena Lee (65), Suzann Pettersen (69) and Brittany Lang (70).
Punahou grads Michelle Wie (76—154) and Stephanie Kono (78—157) and Baldwin grad Shayna Miyajima (73—151) won’t be around today and Saturday, but Sacred Hearts product Ayaka Kaneko will be after shooting 2-over 146 through the opening two rounds. It is her third made cut in four events.
