Miami (AFP) – Nasa Hataoka nabbed four of her seven birdies on the back nine to card a six-under-par 66 and take a one-shot lead over a group headlined by top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul at the LPGA Tournament of Champions on Thursday. Back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16 vaulted Hataoka into the lead of the season-opening event at Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida.
Jeeno, coming off a three-win 2025 campaign that saw her earn LPGA Player of the Year honors, had six birdies and was joined on five-under 67 by fellow Thai Chanettee Wannasaen, rising English star Lottie Woad, and Sweden’s Linn Grant. Hataoka credited strong putting with carrying her to the lead in the first event of a season in which she has very definite goals.
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“I want to be a major champion, and I want to win more than two tournaments,” said the 27-year-old who won the most recent of her seven LPGA titles at last year’s Japan Classic. “When I came on this tour I was the youngest Japanese player and (there were) only five or six players, but right now 15 Japanese players and I’m the oldest. I’m trying to win still.”
Jeeno, who spent a quiet off-season focused on getting over a wrist injury, rated her game at 60 to 70 percent. “I don’t really feel like I’m ready-ready,” she said. “I don’t have enough practice.” Grant made five of her six birdies on the back nine to surge to her share of second. Chanettee had seven birdies and two bogeys, and Woad had six birdies before her lone bogey at the 18th dropped her out of the lead.
“It was good, but like it was weird,” Woad said. “I hit a lot of really good shots kind of close but hit some shots that, like, what am I doing? I just missed way more fairways than I usually do, so kind of need to work on that,” added the 22-year-old, who won the Irish Women’s Open as an amateur last year before winning the Women’s Scottish Open in her pro debut.
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