Associated Press
Saturday, May 20

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio -- Annika Sorenstam and Brandie Burton pulled away from a crowded leaderboard with 7-under-par 65s Saturday to share the lead heading into the final round of the Firstar LPGA Classic.

Along with Mi Hyun Kim and Karrie Webb, Sorenstam and Burton jousted for and traded the lead all day. Eight combinations of the foursome led at one point or another, with only Kim and Burton holding the lead by themselves.

Sorenstam and Burton, each of whom shot 66 in the opening round at the Country Club of the North, now stand at 13-under 131, matching the tournament record set by Meg Mallon two years ago.

After a 69, first-round leader Kim was alone in second at 12 under, followed by Webb, who was another shot back after two late bogeys left her with a 68.

The top four flirted with the LPGA record for lowest 36-hole score in relation to par. Each had gotten to 12 under with six holes remaining, but weren't unable to threaten Michelle McGann's mark of 16 under through the first two rounds of the 1999 Sara Lee Classic.

Sorenstam climbed into a tie for the lead with Webb and Kim by birdieing the par-5 15th after chipping to 8 feet.

Kim then bogeyed the next hole, hooking a 7-iron left of the green and then missing a 4-foot par putt. Webb dropped back with consecutive bogeys at the 16th and 17th holes, both times failing to get up and down after missing the green with a middle-iron approach.

Burton pulled even with Sorenstam by holing a 20-footer for birdie at the 17th.

Sorenstam hasn't had a bogey, piling up 13 birdies and 23 pars. Her seven birdies included a near ace on the 149-yard eighth hole, with her 8-iron shot stopping two inches from the cup. Playing to the crowd, she pretended to plumb-bob the tap-in.

Sorenstam is seeking her second win of the season and 20th of her seven-year professional career.

Burton, a winner of two major championships, missed all of the 1999 season after shoulder surgery, the latest in a series of maladies she's overcome. She's also had jaw surgery three times and suffered a rib injury in 1995.

She took sole possession of the lead with a run of three straight birdies starting at the sixth. Her only slip came at the par-4 12th, where she three-putted from the front edge of the green.

The only other player in double figures under par was Christie Kerr -- and she had to hole a 158-yard 6-iron on the final hole. She raised her arms and jumped in the air after the ball took three bounces and dropped into the cup, closing out a 66 that put her at 10-under 134.

Webb has been the hottest player in women's golf this year with victories on the LPGA tour and two non-tour events.