KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) — Defending champion Ai Miyazato had five birdies in a late six-hole stretch Thursday at breezy Ko Olina to open a two-stroke lead midway through the second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.
The Japanese star shot a 4-under 68 to reach 9-under 135.
Hyo Joo Kim, the 17-year-old South Korean player who played in a group with 17-year-old Ariya Jutanugarn and 15-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko, was second along with Hee Kyung Seo and late starter Suzann Pettersen. Kim shot a 71, and Seo had a 72
Second-ranked Stacy Lewis was 6 under after a 71. Jutanugarn, the first-round leader after a 64, had a 75 to fall to 5 under. Top-ranked Inbee Park, coming off a victory two weeks in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, was 3 under after a 71. Ko had her second straight 71.