Henderson uses hot putter to lead Lotte Championship

LOS ANGELES, California: Canada’s Brooke Henderson delivered her second straight bogey-free round on Thursday to take a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship.

The five-time LPGA winner fired a six-under 66 in the second round for a two-round 10-under 134 total at the Ko Olina Golf Club in Oahu, Hawaii.“Today was a lot of fun, I got off to a really fast start,” said Henderson. “I made a lot of clutch par saves to keep the momentum and keep it bogey-free.

“I feel like I’m in a great spot and I’m hitting the ball really well and I can depend on my putting right now.”

World number one Feng Shanshan, of China, and American Mo Martin are tied for second after shooting 69 and 67 respectively.Pernilla Lindberg, Park Inbee and Lindy Duncan are tied for fourth at six under.

Henderson made four birdies on her first six holes and needed just 24 putts on Thursday. The longest putt Henderson made on Thursday was a 21-foot birdie on the par-three eighth hole.

“The wind wasn’t as strong early today and there were softer conditions,” said Henderson. “Fortunately it didn’t rain too hard and it helped with the softness of the course.”Henderson is wearing a yellow and green ribbon on her shirt to honour the 16 players and team members killed in the Humboldt Broncos fatal bus crash. The Canadian junior hockey team was on their way to a playoff game in Saskatchewan when the bus collided with a semi-trailer.

“It was pretty terrible what happened. They’re in my thoughts and prayers,” she said.First-round leader Feng rolled in three birdies in her bogey free round, while defending champion Cristie Kerr had a 75 to reach two-over 146, six shots back of Henderson.Hawaii native Michelle Wie shot a 73 and is tied for 31st.