Miki Ando, who rebounded from a poor season in 2006 to become the 2007 world champion, begins her Grand
Prix campaign at Skate America on Saturday.
MARIKO PHOTOHANNO, Saitama Pref. (Kyodo) In-form Miho Koga held steady by shooting a 2-under-par 70 in rain-soaked conditions Saturday, taking a two-shot lead over a South Korean trio after two rounds of the Hisako Higuchi IDC Otsuka Ladies.
Koga, winner of last week's Masters GC Ladies, charged up the leaderboard with four birdies on the front nine while limiting the damage to a pair of bogeys en route to a 5-under 139 total at Musashigaoka Golf Course.
Koga opened with a birdie and a bogey in the first three holes before back-to-back birdies from the fourth and another on the ninth took her to the top of the field on a day when only six players broke par in heavy rain caused by a typhoon.
The 25-year-old dropped a shot with a 14th-hole bogey but a back-nine 37 was enough for her to maintain her lead as the rain picked up, preventing her pursuers from shooting low scores.