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Sorenstam & Turner top leaderboard
Annika Sorenstam shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to tie Sherri Turner for the second-round lead at the LPGA Corning Classic.
Sorenstam, seeking her fifth win in six starts this year, jumped to the top of the leaderboard after a four-hour weather delay caused by lightning and rain. Play was stopped because of darkness after Sorenstam's threesome finished, meaning that most of the afternoon starters will have to complete their rounds on Saturday morning.
Turner, who finished before the rain delay, shot a 1-under 71 for a two-round total of 7-under 137.
The rain softened the course and made the scoring easier after the wind-swept first round. Sung Ah Yim of South Korea birdied No. 2, aced the third hole, and birdied the next two holes for a stunning rally that moved her to 6 under with two holes to play. She was tied with Moira Dunn, who shot a 68, and Karine Icher, who had four holes to play.
South Korea's Jimin Kang and first-round co-leader Sophie Gustafson were at 5 under and also had to complete their rounds.
Sorenstam birdied the first two par-5s to move to 5 under, carding the second after a nice chip-and-roll to 3 feet as the rain began to fall. Play was halted after she parred No. 6.
When Sorenstam emerged from the locker room after the stoppage, she posted two pars before rolling in a 16-foot birdie putt at No. 9.
A fan yelled 'You go girl!' as the putt dropped, and that's exactly what Sorenstam did. A long drive at the 364-yard No. 10 -- which she bogeyed in the opening round -- and a soft second shot that landed 6 feet from the pin, set up her second consecutive birdie.
At the par-3 11th hole, she drove within 5 feet and made birdie again to go to 8 under, then rolled in a curving 9-foot birdie putt at the par-5 12th hole to take sole possession of the lead at 9 under.
Just when she seemed unstoppable, Sorenstam faltered as she did in the first round. After a par at the tough No. 13, she carded consecutive bogeys.
The first came at the par-5 14th, which she eagled Thursday. After laying up in front of the elevated green, Sorenstam chunked her third shot and it spun back off the front edge of the green into the rough. She chipped on and two-putted from 12 feet.
At the 125-yard, par-3 15th hole, Sorenstam's drive landed in the sand to the right of the green. She then two-putted from 11 feet after blasting out of the trap.
Turner's string of luck continued. She played in the afternoon group on Thursday, after a swirling wind hampered play early. On Friday, she completed the second round under near ideal conditions -- and before the storms.
"I think we were pretty lucky this morning," said the 48-year-old Turner, who won here 17 years ago. "I was thinking I had a good tee time the first two days, for sure."
Rain started falling around 1 p.m. and play was halted a half hour later.
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