Laura Davies takes command

Laura Davies is getting reacquainted with an old friend -- her driver -- and wound up in a familiar place today in the LPGA Championship.

Davies overpowered a long, tough DuPont Country Club and birdied the last three holes for a 5-under 66, giving her a two-stroke lead over Wendy Ward and putting her halfway home to her first major championship since 1996.

On no other course can Davies, the biggest hitter in women's golf, use her driver so often. On no other course has the 36-year-old from England had so much success -- three victories, two of them in the LPGA Championship.

"She has a good feeling for this course and this tournament,'' said Karrie Webb, who was six strokes back. "She sees the fairways wider, the greens bigger and the hole bigger.''

Davies birdied all three of the par 5s, the last one coming on a two-putt from 25 feet after reaching the 465-yard 16th hole in two with a 6-iron. She finished in style, hitting an 8-iron a few inches from the cup on the par-3 17th and rolling in a 20-footer on the 18th.

She was at 6-under 136.

"I really fancy my chances every time I come here,'' Davies said. "I can get out there and have some fun with the driver. And I do.''

A victory would leave Davies just one point shy of getting into the Hall of Fame, and she could join Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, Nancy Lopez, and Patty Sheehan as the only women to win the LPGA Championship at least three times.

Ward also relied on the long ball, but with her putter. She rolled in a 50-foot birdie on the 15th and a 35-footer for birdie on the 17th for her second straight 69.

On a day when the 40-and-over group of Jane Geddes (74), Betsy King (78), and Patty Sheehan (77) fell off the pace, Jan Stephenson picked up the mantle with a 69 that left her at 139. Everyone is in the same tough spot, however -- trying to catch Davies.

"This suits Laura Davies to a tee,'' Stephenson said. "She's strong in the rough, too. Most people, we're going to have to chip out, where she can blast her way through it.''

Davies has finished in the top 10 at the LPGA Championship, sponsored by McDonald's, in five of the last six years. She gets good vibes by what she hears -- complaints that the course is too tough -- and what she sees -- no out-of-bounds stakes that cause her to play conservatively with irons off the tees.

"It's a major championship and there's a lot of whining that goes on,'' Davies said. "They like the shorter, easier golf courses. I like the longer, tougher golf courses. That's just the way it is.''

Indeed, the value of par has been restored at DuPont with its thick, long rough and firm, fast greens. Only 11 players broke par today, and just as many had rounds in the 80s.

"This is a week where you can digest a bogey every now and then,'' Ward said. "But it's the big numbers that kind of take you out of either contention and or out of the tournament.''

Webb knows that all to well.

She was cruising along at even par, still within four shots of the lead, when she chunked her tee shot on the par-3 fifth hole, blew a chip some 15 feet past the hole and three-putted for a double bogey.

Webb recovered for a 70 that left her at 142, still in the hunt for the second leg of the Grand Slam and her third major championship. Ordinarily, a six-stroke deficit over the last 36 holes is nothing.

Chasing Davies on this course makes it a tougher chore.

"Anyone on the leaderboard has their work gut out for them,'' Webb said. "She has a lot of confidence. She's going to be tough to beat. But I wouldn't say she's unstoppable.''

Webb proved that at the du Maurier Classic in August, where she overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round and beat Davies with birdies on three of the last four holes.

The 25-year-old Australian can take some credit for Davies's play this week, and all year. After enduring a winless season a year ago, Davies decided to spend more time on the practice range, and already has won twice this year.

Laura Davies is practicing?

"I thought, 'Well, if I want to be better and I want to win on a consistent basis out here, I've just got to practice that little bit more,' " Davies said. "Not a huge amount. I'm not a slave to the range or anything.

"I've always said if I can't see the range, I won't go to the range,'' she said. "This one is the exception.''

DIVOTS: Even though the casinos of Atlantic City, N.J., are less than two hours away, don't expect to find Davies there this week. "We're playing there next week,'' she said. "I may be stupid, but I'm not that stupid.'' ... Helen Dobson re-injured her ribs hitting out of the rough Thursday and withdrew before the second round. Susie Redman also aggravated a rib injury, and those who won't be around for the weekend include Kelli Kuehne, Brandie Burton, Lorie Kane, and Grace Park.

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