HONOLULU (AP) — Thailand’s second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul made a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a 7-under 65 on Friday to take the second-round lead at the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship.
Seeking her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the year, the 23-year-old Thitikul was bogey-free after 36 holes at Antipolis Hoakalei.
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“We were lucky enough not to have many storms,” Thitikul said after conditions were mostly calm in the afternoon after rain and wind on Thursday morning.
Germany’s Polly Mack also closed with 18 birdies for 65 to match Thitikul’s 12-under 132.
“It feels really good,” Mack said. “It feels like the work I’ve done lately, but all year, it’s really shining now.”
Carolina Melgrati of Italy and Ina Yoon of South Korea were a quarter back. Melgrati had 65, and Yoon had 67.
First round leader A Lim Kim (69) was 10 under with Michelle Zhang (67). Kim won the 2024 tournament.
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Nasa Hataoka (65) and Miyu Yamashita (67) were 9 under.
The tournament in Asia leads to a month of tournaments, starting with the Shanghai Buick LPGA on Oct. 15-18.
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