Defending champion and first-round co-leader Shingo Katayama overcame a bogey-bogey start Friday to shoot a 1-under-par 70 and take sole possession of the lead midway through the 100 million yen Kirin Open golf tournament.
Katayama birdied two of the final three holes for an 8-under 134 total on the Ibaraki Golf Club's par-71 course.
Huang in front
OGAWA, Tochigi Pref. (Kyodo) Taiwan's Huang Yu-chen fired a 5-under-par 67 in the first round of the 50 million yen Nasu Ogawa Ladies golf tournament on Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Miyuki Shimabukuro and Yuriko Otsuka.