IBARAKI, Japan (AP) Ariya Jutanugarn chipped in for birdie on the final hole Friday for a 6-under 66 and a share of the TOTO Japan Classic lead with Soo-Yun Kang.
Jutanugarn birdied six of the last 11 holes in her bogey-free round, holing out from 35 feet on the par-4 18th in the LPGA Tour's first visit to the Tokyo area since 1991. The 20-year-old Thai star leads the LPGA Tour with five victories and has a 13-point lead over Lydia Ko in the player of the year standings.
Kang birdied three of her final four holes and had only 22 putts on the Taiheiyo Club's pine tree-lined Minori Course. The 40-year-old South Korean player won the LPGA Tour's 2005 Safeway Classic and is now a regular on the Japan LPGA. She won the Suntory Ladies in June for her second Japanese title.
American Stacy Lewis and South Korea's Jenny Shin shot 67, and South Korea's Ha Na Jang and Germany's Sandra Gal followed at 68 in the sixth and final event on the LPGA Tour's fall Asian swing. Lewis won the 2012 event at Kintetsu Kashikojima.
