Golf

Eagle at 18th vaults Lee into Safeway lead

SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN, Ariz. - Sarah Lee waited until the last moment Friday to grab the second-round lead in the Safeway International.

With shadows falling on the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club, Lee eagled the 513-yard, par-5 18th hole to finish 12 under and grab a 1-stroke lead over Aree Song. Paula Creamer, the 2005 LPGA Rookie of the Year, and Suzann Pettersen were tied for third, two strokes back.

Lee, a South Korean in her fifth year on tour, has never won an LPGA event. But she thinks she's playing well enough to break through.

"If I hit it like this, yes I am," said Lee, who has shot a 65 and 67 in the first two rounds on the Prospector Course.

Song was in first place after finishing her second round at 11 under. But when asked if she would check the leaderboard, Song replied, "That's an interesting question because I never look. I think if I play my best and try to make my birdies, that's all I can do."

One name is conspicuously absent from the leaderboard: Annika Sorenstam, the world's top female golfer. Sorenstam has won the last two Safeway Internationals but trails by eight shots. She was in danger of missing the cut for the first time since 2002 when she dropped to even par after 12 holes. But she birdied three of the final four holes to make the cut for the 65th straight event.

Sorenstam finished with a flourish, chipping to within 4 feet to birdie the par-5 18th.

"I'm just glad I finished well and I have a good chance to find the momentum a little bit," she said. "I have some work to do this weekend, definitely. I'm going to need a really low round (Saturday) and get my name up on the leaderboard. But I feel like I've got the game to do it."

Creamer recorded her second consecutive 5-under 67. She is the only one of the top four contenders with an LPGA Tour victory. Last year, Creamer won the Sybase Classic and the Evian Masters, and a pair of tournaments in Japan.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Bob Eastwood shot a 6-under par 65 to take the first-round lead at the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach, Calif., with Graham Marsh and Bruce Lietzke a stroke behind.

Eastwood had seven birdies, including a chip-in from 12 feet in front of the green on the final hole to break a three-way tie.

TCL CLASSIC: 3David Howell of England birdied 11 holes Friday to move into the lead after two rounds in Sanya, China.

The European Tour leader carded a 63, one shy of the course record set by overnight co-leaders Edward Loar of the United States and China's Liang Wenchong, to stand at 17-under 127 at the halfway mark.

Australia's Andrew Buckle shot a 66 and is two strokes behind Howell in the $1-million tournament co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

FUTURES TOUR: Stephanie George and Jamie Stevenson shot 4-under-par 67s to share the lead after the first round of the $70,000 Greater Tampa Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club in Riverview.

[Last modified March 18, 2006, 02:30:29]