CINCINNATI, Ohio (Kyodo) — Japan’s Nasa Hataoka dropped from second to sixth after shooting a 2-under 70 at the Kroger Queen City Championship on Friday, as South Korea’s Lee6 Jeong Eun surged to the top of the leaderboard.
Hataoka sank two birdies in a bogey-free second round at Kenwood Country Club to finish the day tied with four other players at 9-under, four strokes back from 2019 US Women’s Open winner Lee6.
The South Korean carded the day’s lowest round, a 9-under 63, to leapfrog playing partner and overnight leader Lin Xiyu of China, who finished one shot behind in second. American Ally Ewing is a further stroke back in the third.
World no. 9 Hataoka said her putting had not been up to standard after getting into good positions on the green.
“I had a lot of chances, but I wasn’t able to sink putts,” the six-time LPGA winner said. “The course dried out, and that changed the playing conditions.”
“It rolled more than I expected in places, so I want to handle that properly in the final rounds and do my best, only focusing on moving up.”
Among the other Japanese players, Ayaka Furue is tied for 26th at 4-under following a 1-under 71, while Yuka Saso and Ayako Uehara are tied for 61st at 1-under after rounds of 70 and 72, respectively.
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