Leona Maguire finds herself 10 shots off the pace at the halfway point of the LPGA and LPGA Japan co-sanctioned Toto Japan Classic in Shiga.
It’s been a familiar tale for the Cavan woman, who’s struggled to put four good rounds together with any sort of regularity this season, and though she was six off the lead on day one, only 14 players bettered her three-under 69 so another good round on day two would’ve seen her well-placed going into the weekend.
And a birdie on her opening hole suggested that that’s exactly what we were going to get. But as quickly as momentum was gained, it was given back with a bogey on two and she’d have to wait until the seventh hole to pick up another stroke with par on every other hole leaving her at -1 for the day at the turn.
A bogey on 11 brought her back to level-par, but another birdie on 13 meant that a good finish would still see the day rescued. It didn’t materialise, however, and she signed off with three ‘fives; in succession, making par on both 16 and 18, and bogey on 17 for a tally of 72 that left her right where she started at -3 overall.
And since scoring was low and only 23 of the 78-player field failed to break par, she slipped down to T43.
LPGA Japan player Hana Wakimoto was an unlikely leader after round one, but the 27-year-old who has yet to win on the Japanese circuit and is ranked 236 in the world has maintained her two-stroke advantage.
Birdies on both of her opening two holes helped assuage any nerves she may have been feeling, and though it would be a further nine holes before she made another, she immediately followed up with her fourth birdie to get to -4 through 13 and -13 overall. A bogey on 15 was her first of the week, but she made amends on the last and signed for a 68 to follow her opening 63.
Despite her relative inexperience, she’s feeling pretty confident.
“Recently my ball striking has been really good, so I have confidence with my shots and tucked pins today and also my putting was great so overall I could shoot this score,” Wakimoto said.
“This golf course is not too narrow, and there are still like tricky holes at couple holes. But my tee shot has been really good today and greens are soft so the ball is stop actually.
“So I could attack to the pins today.”
American Yealimi Noh and Ariya Jutanugarn are now her closest challengers after the former matched the round of the day with her 65, and the latter took one stroke more to join her at -11.
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