Golf

Meunier-Lebouc joins stars in LPGA lead

PHOENIX -- The top three women in the world found themselves just about where they expected to be Friday -- on top the leaderboard of the Safeway Ping tournament.

But sharing the top spot with Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Se Ri Pak was new to Patricia Meunier-Lebouc.

She shot 6-under-par 66 to match the stars at 11 under midway through the second tournament of the season.

Unlike her fellow leaders, who found the situation rather ho-hum, Meunier-Lebouc was almost giddy.

"I just enjoyed the day," said the third-year tour player from France. "I really wanted to be in the last group."

But Meunier-Lebouc, whose only LPGA win came last year in the State Farm Classic, has a long way to go to match the exploits of the others.

Among them, Webb, Pak and Sorenstam have 88 career wins -- 42 by Sorenstam alone. To be tied with them in this tournament is heady stuff for the 30-year-old player from Dijon, France, a European tour fixture before qualifying for the LPGA in 2001.

"I have fun playing with these girls," Meunier-Lebouc said. "You're scared, but you want to do good."

Sorenstam made birdies on the last three holes, almost holing a pitching wedge on the 16th hole.

"I birdied the last three holes, so that really helps the score," said Sorenstam, who had 66.

It took a lot of birdies to stay among the leaders at the Moon Valley Country Club.

Webb made her share, just missing a 20-footer on the final hole that would have given her the outright lead. Instead, she settled for 67 and was at 133.

Webb was as matter-of-fact about her round afterward as she was on the course -- barely raising her hand to the crowd after making any of her six birdies.

Still, she said she was looking forward to a weekend of playing against Sorenstam and Pak.

"I don't think it hurts," Webb said. "It's a good thing a lot of the top players are on top of the leaderboard. I think it will add to the excitement."

SENIOR CLASSIC: Jim Ahern shot 7-under 64 for his lowest round of the year, giving him a one-shot lead in the Champions Tour event at Newport Beach, Calif.

Ahern had eight birdies and one bogey in tying his best round as a senior.

"I played pretty well and made some nice putts," Ahern said. "But I haven't been putting well. On Wednesday, my caddie, who had been caddying for Bob Murphy, told me why don't I putt more like Bob Murphy. So I felt like Bob Murphy was inside my body out there today.

"I have to give Murphy some credit because I said before I hit every putt that I was Bob Murphy. So I putted like him and I hope he sticks around for the weekend. He putts really good."

Rodger Davis and Lanny Wadkins were tied for second in the $1.55-million tournament at the 6,571-yard, par-71 Newport Beach Country Club.

MADEIRA OPEN: Spain's Jesus Maria Arruti and England's Andrew Sherborne shared the lead at 5 under midway through the second round of the rain-delayed European PGA Tour event in Santo Da Serra. Half the field had to complete the first round Friday after rain caused a 31/2-hour delay Thursday. Seve Ballesteros, playing his first tournament in five months, followed an opening 78 with 1-over 73.

JOHNSON CRITICIZES GOVERNOR: The chairman of Augusta National Golf Club chastised Georgia's governor for suggesting there is something wrong with the club's all-male membership.

Hootie Johnson wrote a letter responding to a March 5 newspaper article in which Gov. Sonny Perdue said he believes everyone would like to see women admitted to the club. The governor also said he favors local control of the club that hosts the Masters.

Johnson took issue with Perdue's suggestion that the club wants to do the right thing and admit women, but feels "trapped" by the demands of protesters.

"I can only infer from your comments that your opinion is that single-gender, private clubs such as ours are somehow morally wrong," Johnson wrote.

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