American Angela Stanford shot a six-under 66 to vault past first-round co-leader and former World No. 1 Annika Sorenstam after the second round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational on Friday.
Stanford was part of an eight-way tie at the top of a crowded leaderboard on Thursday that included England’s Karen Stupples, who is competing here with a broken toe on her right foot.
Stanford, who won the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in September, seized control Friday with four birdies over the first nine holes.
PHOTO: AP
She added three more birdies on the back nine to move to 10-under heading into yesterday’s third round of the US$1 million event.
BLEMISH
Her only major blemish of the day came on the 12th hole where she posted a bogey.
PHOTO: AP
“I felt really comfortable all day,” said Stanford, whose round was a course record at Guadalajara Country Club. “I feel really good about my swing thoughts and I feel comfortable on the golf course. I feel like I’m rolling my putts really well, so I’m having a lot of fun.”
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, battling for Rookie of the Year honors, was two shots back in second after firing her second consecutive 68 on Friday.
DISTRACTED
Tseng had just one bogey, missing a six-footer for par at the par-five ninth, where she said she allowed noise around the green to distract her from her putt.
She opened with a birdie at the first and added another at the seventh, the birdied 11, 14 and 16 coming in.
“I hit it really solid and my putting was really good today,” she said. “I made a lot of putts, some small and some just went in. I feel very relaxed and comfortable and I’m looking forward to the next two days.”
South Korea’s Meena Lee (69) was in third while Stupples (71) was lying fourth.
PAIN
Stupples had to play through the pain of a broken middle toe on her right foot. She suffered the injury on Wednesday while rushing to get a cup of coffee.
Her steady second round included birdies on the third and 18th holes.
Stanford said putting was the key to her round, and she was more successful on Friday thanks to better reading of the greens.
“I felt the same about how I was rolling it yesterday and today,” said Stanford, who sank birdie putts of 25 feet at the second and 13th holes, and a 12-footer for birdie at 11. “But sometimes I just misread them. I thought we read them much better today,” she said.
A half dozen players are tied for fifth, including Sorenstam who is looking for her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season.
Sorenstam was a co-leader after the first day and looked strong for most of Friday, but bogeyed three of the last four holes and finished the day at even par.
The tournament’s namesake Ochoa recovered from a disappointing performance in the first round with a 71, but remained tied for 22nd in the 36-woman field.
“I’m a little bit out of rhythm,” Ochoa said. “I’m a little bit quick with my hands. I think that’s why I’m losing the control of the ball, and I’m not having any easy birdie chances.”
In search of her eighth victory of the season, Ochoa has locked up the Player of the Year honors and is the star attraction in her native Guadalajara.
The event is serving as the final tune-up for players competing in the 2008 ADT Championship.
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