Kiyoshi Maita put his season's woes behind him in shooting a 7-under 65 Friday to grab a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta tournament.
Maita sits a lowly 103rd in this year's money rankings but had seven birdies around the Keya Club course to move to the top of the leaderboard at 10-under 134, ahead of Katsumasa Miyamoto and two journeymen tied for second.
Maita, a veteran from Kanagawa Prefecture, got his round off to a flying start when he sank a 35-foot putt for a birdie at his first hole and his putter remained hot.
"I had fun out there today. It's been a long time since I was in a position like this," said Maita, who is gunning for only his second career title.
Miyamoto had just one bogey in a 67 that left him two off the pace on 136 alongside Takenori Hiraishi, who carded a 69, and Kazumasa Sakaitani with a 70.
Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki shot a 72 to miss the cut.
Nishida on fire
TERADOMARI, Niigata Pref. (Kyodo) Tour veteran Chieko Nishida tied the Yonex Country Club course record with a blistering 8-under-par 64 to establish a four-shot lead after Friday's first round of the Yonex Ladies Open.