Budding Mexican star Lorena Ochoa hit a 3-under 69 to surge past Becky Morgan and into the second-round lead at the Rochester LPGA on Friday.
Ochoa, who began the day three shots behind Morgan, finished her round in a steady rain and was at 8-under 136.
Morgan, who had an 8-under 64 on Thursday under rainy skies, faltered late and shot a 74 to tie Maria Hjorth (68) for second at 138.
US rookie Paula Creamer, who finished the first round with back-to-back bogeys after developing a twinge in her left wrist, followed her opening 71 with a 68 and was alone in fourth, another shot back.
Kim Mi-hyun (66) was at 140, Gloria Park (70) and Pak Se-ri (71) were at 141, and Hilary Lunke (73), Laura Davies (71) and Jennifer Rosales (70) were at 142.
Rain fell throughout the opening round, and under the soggy conditions at Locust Hill Country Club the players were allowed to lift, clean and place on Friday. Still, among the top 14 players, only Ochoa, Kim and Creamer broke 70.
Ochoa, who closed with three straight birdies for an opening 67, started slowly, missing a 3-foot putt for par on the first hole. She rallied with two birdies before the turn and finished the round with two birdies and six pars in the wind and rain.
"I took advantage of the opportunities and finished strong," said Ochoa, a runner-up three times this year and third on the money list. "But I don't know how I shot so good. It's weird. Sometimes, things go your way."
They went Creamer's way, too. Looking poised well beyond her 18 years, Creamer birdied three of her first four holes before bogeying the par-3 15th hole. She began to move into contention after her second shot at 18 landed in the bleachers bordering the right side of the green.
After getting a free drop into the thick rough, she chipped in from 25 yards for birdie. The ball barely made the edge of the undulating green, then slowly rolled downhill toward the cup and in, setting off a raucous cheer from the large throng that was following her around the course.
"It could have been just disaster on that hole, but where I dropped I got a good lie," said Creamer, who notched her first career victory a month ago in the Sybase Classic -- before her high school graduation. "I felt very confident. You have to hit a good shot there, or else. I put a lot of pressure on that. Right when I hit it, I knew it was good."
A day after she carded five straight birdies to take the lead, Morgan completed her second round with a trio of bogeys.
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