Golf

Inkster, Dunn share lead at LPGA event

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 11, 2006

MOBILE, Ala. - Hall of Famer Juli Inkster birdied two of her last three holes for 3-under 69 and a share of the second-round lead Friday with Moira Dunn in the LPGA Tournament of Champions.

Inkster, 46, made a 25-foot birdie on the 17th and closed with par to match Dunn (67) at 8-under 136 on Magnolia Grove's Crossings Course.

"It was a big slider," Inkster said of her 25-footer. "It was a putt you're trying to get close, and it was a bonus for me."

Cristie Kerr had the best round of the day, 6-under 66, that left her 7 under. First-round leader Paula Creamer followed her opening 64 with 74 to drop two strokes back at 6 under.

Lorena Ochoa rebounded from quadruple-bogey 8 on the first hole to salvage 73 that left her 5 under with Stacy Prammanasudh (71) and Karen Stupples (70).

"I am just glad that I managed to finish around par," said Ochoa, who can wrap up player of the year honors with a win this week.

"It was a tough start with that quad. I can't remember making one of those before. It was a new experience, but at the same time it was good that it happened on the first hole, so I had 17 holes to try to catch up the rest of the round."

Brittany Lincicome of Seminole, winner of the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship in July, shot 3-under 69 to put her in a tie for 12th at 2-under 142.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Tiger Woods had an eagle and seven birdies in a course record-tying 8-under 64 to move within two shots of the lead at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China.

Woods closed within two shots of Jyoti Randhawa after starting the second round seven shots back. Randhawa, the overnight leader, shot 69 for a two-round total of 10-under 134.

Woods was tied for third with Michael Campbell, who shot 70.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson set the record for the Sheshan International Golf Club at 64 earlier. He was tied for 17th at 4-under.

Chris DiMarco was penalized one shot after a review, altering his first round from 69 to 70.

The tournament released a statement saying the referee incorrectly adjudicated that DiMarco had not caused the ball to move on the eighth green, when he grounded his putter near the ball.

Because it was a referee's error, DiMarco was not penalized for signing an incorrect card. He had 74 in the second round and was at even 144.

NATIONWIDE: PGA Tour winner Matt Kuchar shot 7-under 65 for a share of the second-round lead in the Tour Championship in Richmond, Texas. Kuchar joined Cliff Kresge (69), Andrew Buckle (69), Chris Baryla (67 ) and Brandt Snedecker (68) at 8-under 136.

JAPAN: Sergio Garcia shot 5-under 67 to move into a three-way tie for the lead at the Taiheiyo Masters in Gotemba. Garcia is at 9-under 135 with Katsumasa Miyamoto and Daisuke Maruyama, who both fired second round 64s.

MERRILL LYNCH SHOOTOUT: Long hitters John Daly and J.B. Holmes and the distance-challenged duo of Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank shot 9-under 63s to share the lead in Naples after the first round, a modified alternate-shot round. The 12 teams play a best-ball round today and finish Sunday with a scramble.

FUTURES: South Korean amateur In-Kyung Kim won the qualifying tournament in Lakeland, birdieing the final two holes for 4-under 68 and a one-stroke victory over Paige Mackenzie. Elizabeth Stuart of Tampa finished tied for 13th with 10 others at 4-over 292, shooting 2-over 74.

FORMAT CHANGE: The Curtis Cup, the biennial women's amateur golf competition between the United States and Britain and Ireland, will be played over three days, instead of two, beginning in 2008 at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. The British-based Ladies' Golf Union also said the new format would feature three foursomes (alternate shot) and three fourball (better ball) matches over the first two days. Eight singles matches will be played on the final day. Under the old format, three foursomes (alternate shot) and six singles matches were played each day.

[Last modified November 11, 2006, 02:08:55]