Lee rides hot streak to share lead with Hataoka after 2nd round of LPGA finale

Alison Lee birdied four of her last five holes Friday to extend a hot streak that stretches from Saudi Arabia to South Korea to Florida. Her 8-under 64 gave her a share of the lead with Nasa Hataoka in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.

Hataoka atoned for missing a short par putt by closing with a pair of birdies, finishing with a 25-footer on the last hole for a 67 in a wide-open chase for the $2 million US prize.

Lee had five birdies in seven holes at the start, and then had a strong finishing kick that included a wedge to a foot on the 15th and a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

The 28-year-old Californian has never won in her nine years on the LPGA Tour, but no one brought as much momentum. In her last three tournaments worldwide, she has runner-up finishes in the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea and The Annika last week in Florida. She also won an Aramco Team Series event on the Ladies European Tour.

Lee now is 46-under par in her last 10 rounds.

FOR THE SOLO LEAD