Betsy King returns to form

Betsy King is ready to christen the third phase of her career.

"I'm hoping it's a rebirth again," King said today after shooting a 5-under-par 67 to gain a share of the lead with Sally Dee at 10-under-par 134 after two rounds of the Hawaiian Ladies Open.

"I always say I had two careers out here. I didn't win for the first seven years. ... Then, all of a sudden, I had a good run for 10 years," said King, who said she's suffered no letdown since making the Hall of Fame in 1995, although she's only had one victory since then.

"It made me appreciate what an achievement it is."

King, who last won in 1997 for her 31st career victory, followed a steady round on Thursday with a more challenging round on Friday that yielded the same score.

"The wind definitely was stronger," she said after making seven birdies and two bogeys on Kapolei Golf Course.

She saved par on her final hole by two-putting from 60 feet after hitting into the right rough on No. 9, and finds herself in what used to be a familiar place: Leading a tournament entering the final round.

"I haven't been there in a while," she said. "The more you're there, the easier it is. I hope to be there a lot. That's what I've been working so hard for."

One shot behind King and Dee was Sophie Gustafson, who shared the first-round lead with Joanne Morley. Morley shot 1-over 73 to fall to 4-under 138. Two shots behind the leaders was Marisa Baena of Colombia, who coincidentally earned her exempt status for the Tour last year in the Betsy King Classic, and only after King decided to play the final round of the tournament in bad weather. That allowed Baena to move up in the standings and make enough to qualify for an exemption.

Baena, who shot a 67 today to move to 8-under 136 along with Leta Lindley, isn't fazed by the prospect of going head to head with King.

"I don't get intimidated," Baena said. "Last year, I really was. This year, I'm like, 'Forget about this!' I'm going to have a totally different look at this."

Baena picked up confidence on her first hole of the day when, after hitting into the water on No. 10, she was able to save par with a 12-foot putt.

"That really got me going," she said.

She made two birdies on her front nine and just missed a hole-in-one on the par-3 No. 8, when her tee shot finished 2 inches from the hole. She ended the round with a bogey after three-putting from 60 feet.

She hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation and said she didn't get rattled when her putts wouldn't drop early.

"Last year I wanted every putt to drop and, when they didn't, I would get upset," Baena said. "Today, when I started off, I wasn't making the putts. But I didn't get mad. I told myself it doesn't matter, just keep working hard and they will fall."

Defending champ Alison Nicholas was at 141 after shooting an even-par 72 today.

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