Hull fires gets into position
It was an 8-under-par 64 that catapulted Charley Hull into a tie for second after round two of the TOTO Japan Classic on Friday, and the bogey-free round has the native of England within shouting distance of Shanshan Feng’s lead going into the final round Sunday in Japan.
Hull, who captured last year’s CME Group Tour Championship for her first LPGA Tour title, is looking for win No. 2 this week. She said the Minori Course at the Taiyeiho Club is playing ‘so pure’ right now, and admitted although she left some shots out there Friday, she was happy with her round.
Hull started her day with a birdie before making eagle on the par-5 2nd, chipping it in from about 10 yards away.
“Before I hit it I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to hole this’ and then I did – it was quite funny,” said Hull.
The 21-year-old sits five shots back of Feng’s lead going into the final round.
Ko looking for first win of the year
After a year of changes, Lydia Ko is still looking for her first win.
But, she says she has ‘no regrets’ when it comes to the tweaks she’s made in 2017, including changing coaches, caddie, and clubs.
“I felt like I needed to make the changes to be more consistent,” she said after firing a 4-under-par 68 on Saturday. “No matter what ranked player you are, there’s always something you can get better at, even though it may be little things.”
Ko admitted she made a ‘careless’ bogey on No. 3, but bounced back with birdies on three of her next six holes.
“Overall it was really solid and I’ll take my 68 today,” she said.
Ko has been enjoying the Japanese culture every day since she arrived, and said it’s been ‘really nice’ to play solid golf in front of the Japanese fans.
“The fans love seeing us here, and we love seeing the fans,” she said. “It’s nice to play some good golf and hopefully I can finish strong.”
Lewis hoping for a low one Sunday
After perhaps the most feel-good story of the 2017 season, Stacy Lewis took some well-deserved time off before coming into the final stretch of the year.
And after a 5-under-par 67 at the TOTO Japan Classic on Saturday, Lewis has a second win of 2017 in her sites heading into Sunday’s final round.
“I hit 18 greens today, so obviously the ball striking is there. I just need to get the putter going,” said Lewis, who admitted the Race to the CME Globe is something on her radar.
Lewis, who captured the Cambia Portland Classic in September and donated the whole of her winner’s cheque to hurricane relief efforts in her hometown of Houston, took a few weeks off recently but was happy to get back to competition this week.
“Our summer is just so crazy. I needed a break, and I needed some time to rest. I refreshed the mind… refreshed the body,” she said. “It was fun timing-wise to celebrate the Portland win and just be home.”
Lewis sits six shots back of the lead going into Sunday’s finale.
Kang withdraws
Danielle Kang, the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Champion, withdrew from the TOTO Japan Classic before the start of the second round citing an injury.
Kang fired an even par 72 on Friday.
She said she will be heading home to rest before the CME Group Tour Championship.
-30-
)
)
)
)
