Otsu City — Japanese golfer Nasa Hataoka and South Korea’s Shin Jiyai topped the leaderboard after the second round of the LPGA TOTO Japan Classic on Friday.
Hataoka shot a 4-under 68, and Shin shot a 67, for a two-round total of 11-under 133. Miyu Yamashita of Japan, who shared the lead with Hataoka after the first round, shot a 69 at Seta Golf Club in western Japan, closing in on the lead by one stroke.
Three more Japanese golfers are just two strokes behind the leader: Sayaka Takahashi (67), Ai Suzuki (67) and Juri Sakuma (66).
Defending champion Rio Takeda of Japan was nine shots behind after a second round 69.
Australia’s Minjee Lee, one of the best-known players in the field, shot a 1-over 73, leaving her eight strokes behind the leader.
