Sorenstam takes over lead

Annika Sorenstam shot a 4-under 66 in hot conditions Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Lorie Kane and Cristie Kerr after the second round of the Williams Championship.

Sorenstam, seeking her seventh LPGA Tour victory of the year and ninth worldwide title, had six birdies and two bogeys as the temperature soared to 97 degrees on the Tulsa Country Club course.

The Swede, a 38-time time winner in nine season on the LPGA Tour, has had a share of the lead entering the final round 40 times, winning 23 titles and finishing second eight times.

"I've always said that I want to be leading," she said. "Tomorrow is a new day and anything can happen in golf. If you look at the leaderboard, everybody is right there. So I'm going to go out tomorrow and keep playing aggressive and not worry too much about the other players."

Sorenstam birdied the 15th and 16th holes after dropping a stroke with a bogey on the par-3 14th following a tiff with caddie Terry McNamara over club selection. Sorenstam glared at McNamara on the tee after hitting short and right with a 7-iron, and flung her putter at him after missing her par putt.

"We did the same thing in the pro-am," Sorenstam said of the decision to use the 7-iron instead of a 6-iron. "So I was a little irritated. But I made birdie on the next two holes, so I forgot about that hole quickly."

Making her first start since winning the Compaq Open on Aug. 18 in Sweden, Sorenstam followed the bogey with a strong drive to 92 yards on the 362-yard 15th. After reaching 6 under with the birdie on the par-5 16th, she parred the final two holes.

"On the back nine, the wind picked up and it got a little swirly and made it a little difficult," she said. "This is a narrow course and you really don't want to miss the greens."

Sorenstam is preparing for the Solheim Cup matches between Europe and the United States in two weeks in Minnesota, and also will play next week in the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore.

"I feel really comfortable with my swing," she said. "The course is tough, it's really narrow and the greens are so small, so you have to hit the ball well."

Kane followed her opening 71 with a career-low 64. Starting on the back nine, she bogeyed her third hole of the day, then countered with seven birdies, including an 8-iron to an inch on the par-3 sixth. Her longest birdie putt was 12 feet.

"I'm Canadian, but for some reason I play well in the heat," Kane said. "The first tournament I won was in St. Louis and it was as hot as it is here. I just think that because I'm in better shape, I have a clearer mind-set and, thank heavens, we have a lot of water out there."

Sorenstam and Kane will be in the final group, just as they were in February when Sorenstam won the Takefuji Classic in Hawaii on the first hole of a playoff.

"I love playing with Annika," Kane said. "She's the best player in the world and she always raises the bar. I've watched and learned from her. I have a huge amount of respect for someone who sets goals and achieves them and works very hard at being the best she can be."

Kerr, preparing for her first U.S. Solheim Cup appearance, shot a 70 to join Kane at 5 under.

Taiwan's Candie Kung (66) and Scotland's Catriona Matthew (70) were two strokes back at 4-under 136, and first-round leader Tracy Hanson (73) was 3 under along with rookie Beth Bauer (68), Pamela Kerrigan (68), Kris Tschetter (69) and Australians Shani Waugh (66) and Joanne Mills (68).

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