Associated Press
Friday, July 7

SYLVANIA, Ohio -- Heather Bowie wants what Annika Sorenstam has: a time-tested swing, a rock-solid mental approach and a cool and analytic demeanor when the heat is on in the final round.

	Heather Bowie had six birdies and just one bogey on Friday.

So when she saw Sorenstam signed up for a practice round two days before the start of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, she jumped at the chance to get a closeup view.

Now Bowie, a rookie who has never led in her 11 pro tournaments, knows what she's up against. Bowie's 5-under 66 powered her into a tie with Sorenstam for the lead at 5-under 137 through Friday's second round of the Farr.

"Playing with her, I realized what a great ball-striker she is and how she manages her game," Bowie said. "I put myself in her group to learn. I'm certain that playing with her in a practice round will give me more confidence to play with her in the tournament. I know she'll play well and it'll push me to play better."

Sorenstam, a winner of 20 tour events, might not be physically imposing at 5-foot-6 and roughly 115 pounds. But she has the kind of methodical game -- straight off the tee, on the green in regulation and usually error-free -- that awes a lot of players.

"Do I look intimidating?" Sorenstam said with a smile after putting the final touches on a 67. "I'm just a player out there. Yes, I've won a few tournaments and have experience. I don't try to be intimidating. I just mind my own business and go from there."

Bowie and Sorenstam are both former NCAA champions although at rival schools -- Bowie at Arizona State and Sorenstam at Arizona.

Knotted at 4 under and a shot back are long-hitting Laura Davies, Kate Golden and Stefania Croce, each of whom posted their second straight 69s.

Davies overcame two bogeys to birdie two of her last three holes. That was enough to put her within striking distance of her third win of the year.

"Every time I come to the course, I think of winning," she said. "You're always just trying to get close to the lead. Come Sunday, it's nice to pull in the parking lot close to the lead, knowing you have a real crack at it."

Golden, who had to qualify just to get into last week's ShopRite Classic, drove through the night Sunday to arrive in suburban Toledo. She hit all nine greens on the backside and missed only one fairway.

She declined to look up at the marquee names around her on the leaderboard.

"If you get caught up in what everybody else is doing, you forget to concentrate on yourself," she said.

Croce has been on a tear of late, losing a playoff to Juli Inkster two weeks ago in the LPGA Championship for her highest finish in eight years on tour. She made three birdie putts inside 8 feet, then parred the last nine holes.

"After McDonald's, I think, wow, maybe winning is not so difficult," she said. "Maybe if I just play my game, it's good enough to win."

First-round co-leader Terry-Jo Myers, Jane Crafter, Terry Hansen, Hall of Famer Beth Daniel, Leta Lindley, Dorothy Delasin and Rachel Hetherington were all in the pack at 3-under 139.

Bowie shot an opening-round 71 -- leaving her tied for 39th in the 144-player field. She made the turn at 1-under before finding the range with her short game, posting birdies on four of the final seven holes with none of the putts from farther than 8 feet.

"We've still got a half a tournament left," she said. "I certainly like where I am right now. I'm just going to put winning in the back of my mind."

Sorenstam was unfazed by the swirling wind and still-damp conditions at Highland Meadows Golf Club. Consistently keeping her ball in the middle of the fairway and the middle of the green, she pulled into a tie with Bowie by hitting a 9-iron to 8 feet on her 17th hole and rolling in the birdie putt to cap a bogey-free round.

"I love to be in the lead. I love to play in the final group. I feel very comfortable there," Sorenstam said. "Still, I get nervous myself."

There were plenty of other notables who made at least token appearances on the leaderboard.

Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez -- three times a runner-up but never a winner at the Farr -- took sole possession of the lead with four consecutive 3s, including three birdies. But after getting to 4-under, she dropped back with two late bogeys and ended up with a 70 that left her at 2-under 140.

Two-time defending champion Se Ri Pak continued to battle a balky putter but hit a 15-foot birdie putt on her last hole for her second 70 in a row.

Helen Alfredsson, who shared the first-round lead with Myers after a 67, birdied two of the first three holes but lost four shots to par in the span of three holes. She finished with a 74 that left her at 1-under 141.

Among those missing the cut of 2-over were Meg Mallon, Jan Stephenson and Tammie Green.