Liselotte Neumann leads in wet conditions

Liselotte Neumann shot a 5-under 67 Friday to take the lead in the soggy second round of the Franklin American Mortgage Championship.

Neumann, who opened with a 72, moved to 5-under 139 in the rain-plagued LPGA Tour event.

Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, the defending champion, was at 5-under through 11 holes and was one of 73 players who were unable to complete their second round at the Vanderbilt Legends Club's Ironhorse Course because of rain for the second straight day. South Korea's Hee-Won Han is also at 5-under through 10 holes, and six players are at 3-under.

First-round leader Kris Tschetter, playing in the next-to-last group, was at 2-under through six holes.

There were three delays lasting nearly four hours during the second round, and up to 2 inches of rain was forecast for Friday night.

"With all the delays and everything, it was kind of a long day,'' the 38-year-old Neumann said. "But when you're playing good, it doesn't bother you too much.''

Stacy Prammanasudh (70) and Heather Bowie (66) finished their second rounds and were at 4-under, one stroke back.

Neumann, an 18-year veteran, birdied No. 4 and chipped in for eagle from 25 yards at the short par-5 seventh. Her chip rolled the length of the green, hit the flag stick and dropped in. She smiled and pumped her fist as she moved into a tie with the Tschetter.

Neumann, who has 13 career victories, recorded back-to-back birdies at Nos. 13 and 14, but bogeyed No. 15. Unfazed, she stuck her tee shot on the par-3 16th hole within 5 feet and made the birdie putt to get to 5-under.

"I had such a good chip on 15. I read the break and everything and I missed the short putt,'' she said. "It was great to hit that next shot so well.''

Ochoa, who started the day at 1-under, birdied the second, fifth, seventh and 10th holes. She hit eight of nine fairways and 10 of 11 greens in regulation. She did not have a bogey on her first 11 holes.

Han was more erratic, recording only two pars, compared to six birdies and two bogeys.

The course played a little easier than Thursday's first round, in which only 11 players were under par after a driving rain gave way to windy conditions. The event has been dogged by inclement weather, with precipitation in six straight rounds dating to the first round of 2004.

Prammanasudh, who finished a career-best third at this event last year, started at No. 10 and made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17-18 to move to 4-under. She nearly made it three in a row before missing a short putt and settling for par on the first hole.

"I hit quite a few good putts out there that it was just a speed issue,'' Prammanasudh said. "I burned the edges and thought I hit great putts. They either didn't break or broke after the hole.''

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