SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN, Ariz. – Angela Stanford was clinging to the lead halfway through the Safeway International, with friend Lorena Ochoa closing in.
Stanford had a one-shot lead through 36 holes of the LPGA Tour tournament Friday. Stanford followed her course record and career-best 10-under 62 on Thursday with a scrambling 3-under 69 on Friday for a 13-under 131 total.
Ochoa, the event’s defending champion and world’s top-ranked female golfer, was one back at 12 under. She began the day three strokes back and shot a steady 67.
Jee Young Lee was three back at 10 under, while Annika Sorenstam shot a 67 to join Michele Redman (68) at 8 under, five off the lead on the 6,662-yard course at the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club.
Stanford will be paired with Ochoa in today’s third round.
“Angela is very competitive,” Ochoa said. “She’s very good in basketball or bowling or whatever. She always tries to beat me.”
PGA Tour
AVONDALE, La. – Briny Baird shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead over Peter Lonard and Jay Williamson in the Zurich Classic.
Baird, winless on the PGA Tour, birdied the final two holes to finish at 8-under 136 on the TPC Louisiana. Lonard shot a 70, and Williamson had a 69.
Champions Tour
PALM COAST, Fla. – Lonnie Nielsen birdied six of his last 10 holes for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead in the Ginn Championship.
Bernhard Langer and Fred Funk opened with 67s on the Ocean Hammock Golf Club course, and David Edwards and Gene E. Jones had 68s.
European Tour
PUERTO BANUS, Spain – Sweden’s Peter Hedblom shot a 5-under 67 for a share of the second-round lead with Australia’s Matthew Millar in the Andalucia Open. Millar had a 69 to match Hedblom at 8-under 136.
