Associated Press
Saturday, April 29

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. -- Sophie Gustafson has never won on the LPGA Tour. She's being chased by some of the biggest names in women's golf. And she's not worried a bit heading into the final round of the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship.

"I played with them before," the 25-year-old Swede said, "and I've beaten them before."

	Sophie Gustafson remained on course for her first LPGA victory with a 69 on Saturday.

Gustafson, who struggles with a severe speech impediment, is letting golf do her talking at Eagles Landing Country Club south of Atlanta. She shot a 3-under-par 69 in the second round Saturday, maintaining a two-shot lead over Laura Davies and Michelle McGann.

Three shots back was the LPGA's most dominating player. Karrie Webb, who has won four tournaments this year and finished second in her other event, finished with an eagle at No. 18 to let everyone know she was still around.

"I like my position," the Australian said. "I still have to play well tomorrow."

Webb found the creek at 3 for the second day in a row, took out a chunk of a grass with her club after a poor shot at 6 and was meandering through an unspectacular round by her standards -- two bogeys and three birdies -- when she arrived at 18. But a 4-iron landed 15 feet from the hole, and she curled in the eagle putt for a 69.

"I feel pretty good about things, but I didn't play that great," Webb said. "I'm happy to get out of a day like this at three under."

Gustafson, who leads with a 10-under 134, wasn't intimidated by her pursuers.

"This is a good field," she said. "If I can lead here after two rounds, I know I can win tomorrow."

Because of the speech problem, it's difficult for Gustafson to develop close relationships with her fellow golfers. But they know she is capable of pulling off her first LPGA victory, having won in Europe and Asia before joining the American tour last year.

"She has a tremendous amount of talent," Webb said. "When she's on, she hits the ball long and extremely straight. Now, I've also seen her hit it off the planet as well."

Davies, who didn't even use a driver in the second round, said Gustafson "reminds me of me about 12 years ago. I didn't care where I hit it as long as I hit it hard."

Gustafson, who led by three shots after an opening-round 65, started out Saturday like she was going to blow the field away. She birdied three of the first seven holes, never needing to make a putt longer than 15 feet.

But, after hitting a 3-wood within 15 feet for an eagle at the par-5 13th, Gustafson scrambled to hold the lead as her ball strayed all over the course.

She made a nice up-and-down at the par-3 16th after hitting her tee shot in a bunker, pumping her fist when the putt dropped. At the next hole, her second shot flew past the flag into the back fringe, where her downhill putt went past the hole again and left a difficult 15-footer for par. Once again, Gustafson made the putt, pumping her fist even harder as the ball disappeared.

At 18, Gustafson's tee shot flew into a fairway bunker, then she found the sand again with her second shot. But she managed to chip out and two-putt for another par.

"She had a real gutsy finish," said Chuck Hoersch, Gustafson's caddy. "Those were a lot of good pars."

Gustafson gave her challengers a bit of hope when she scrambled for par at the 465-yard final hole.

"I think Sophie did us a favor when she didn't birdie or maybe even eagle that hole and get off to a three- or four-shot lead over everyone else," Webb said. "I feel I need to make birdie at that hole every time I play it."

Davies, a four-time major winner who captured the Los Angeles Women's Championship in February, made the biggest charge of the day. The long hitter from England strung together six birdies from holes 8-16 and finished with a 6-under 66.

"I'm just trying to not make any mistakes," said Davies, who hit all 18 greens in regulation and would have put up an extraordinary score if she had not missed four putts from 12 feet and closer. "I'm not using the driver. I don't need it. I don't want to put myself in position for bogeys."

McGann eagled 18 and finished with a 68. Amy Fruhwirth got in contention by chipping in a 30-yard shot from the rough for an eagle at 18, leaving her in a tie with Webb at 137.