Little-known Hideto Tanihara rode a hot putter as he ignited with a 7-under-par 65 on Friday for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the thick fog-reduced Mandom Lucido Yomiuri Open golf tournament.
The scheduled first round on Thursday was canceled due chiefly to a thick fog and a nearing typhoon, making the event a 54-hole affair.
Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki and Toshimitsu Izawa each birdied the final three holes en route to a 66 to share second place with Taiwan's Hsieh Chin-sheng.
Wei takes control
NAKATSUGAWA, Gifu Pref. (Kyodo) Overnight joint leader Wei Yun-jye of Taiwan shot a 4-under-par 68 for the second straight day Saturday to grab a four-stroke sole lead going into the final round of the Apita Circle-K Sunkus Ladies golf tournament.
Teeing off for the second round at U Green Nakatsugawa Golf Club tied for the lead with four others, the 23-year-old Wei, seeking her first title in her three-year pro career, birdied Nos. 6, 7, 12 and 14 in bogey-free play for a 36-hole total of 8-under 136.
Rookie Misato Nishikawa and unheralded Eika Otake each shot a 70 over the 6,344-yard course and moved into a tie for second at 140, from their positions of 10th in the first round.