Stupples keeps lead, but Sorenstam lurks

Sorenstam had two bogeys in the second half of her round.
SUNNINGDALE, England (AP) -- Annika Sorenstam's surge to the top of the leaderboard at the Women's British Open stopped suddenly on the back nine.
The defending champion moved within two strokes of the lead with three early birdies Friday, but she faltered late, with two bogeys and zero birdies in the second half of her round. Sorenstam settled for a 1-under 71 that left her tied for fifth at 5-under 139, four strokes behind leader Karen Stupples.
"I missed fairways; I missed greens," Sorenstam said. "Luckily, I chipped really well. I made a good bunker shot at the last and made some good putts. But it was the long game, I couldn't keep it in play.
"I still shot under par, so I have to look on the bright side. I lost a little ground, but then again I'm right there. There's two more days. It's not the end of the world by any means."
Sorenstam is trying to join Mickey Wright as the only players to defend titles in all four majors.
Stupples had another bogey-free round, this time a 2-under 70 that moved her to 9-under 135. Beth Daniel (69) and South Korea's Jeong Jang (68) and Seol-An Jeon (69) are tied for second at 6-under 138.
Missed opportunities
Stupples' only regret was missed opportunities.
With the sun shining on Sunningdale's Old Course and little wind to trouble the early starters, Stupples fired a 7-wood to the back of the green at the first and made a two-putt birdie. She rolled in a "perfect" 40-foot birdie putt at No. 17 after coming up short with her second shot.
She believes she should have been further ahead of the field.
"It was a bit frustrating at times because I had a couple of opportunities, one on 9 and one on 10, to make birdie," Stupples said. "I felt like I hit really good putts, but they just didn't go in the hole.
"The one on 10 was like a dagger to my heart because it totally did a horseshoe round the hole."
Stupples, who also held the lead midway through last week's Evian Masters before fading and finishing fourth, completed her round long before Sorenstam started.
The Swede knew what she had to do to make up a five-stroke deficit.
"I got off to a good start; I birdied the first two and then I birdied the ninth, and I felt pretty good about everything," Sorenstam said.
"And then I made the turn, and I didn't feel so good any more. I was just scrambling on the back nine really. So it was a bit like a long day. Disappointed, obviously, but I managed to save par so I didn't really hurt myself too much."
Disturbed
Sorenstam said she was disturbed on the 12th tee by a camera clicking on her backswing; although, an official on the course said the noise came from a scoreboard behind the photographers near the 11th green.
"I ended up in some heather, which was very thick, and I had to play for bogey on that hole. I missed my tee shot on 14 and put myself in the bunker," she said. "That's a par 5 where you're really looking for birdie and I walk away with bogey, so you kind of lose a shot and a half on that hole."
Of the chasing pack, Daniel and Betsy King raised a flag for the veterans. Jang and Jeon maintained impressive performances by South Koreans on the course. At Sunningdale three years ago, Se Ri Pak won the British Open title, and Mi Hyun Kim placed second.
Daniel, a 25-year tour veteran whose only major in 33 tournament victories came at the LPGA Championship in 1990, collected four birdies in her 69. She did have a three-putt bogey at the fifth.
"I still enjoy the game," said Daniel, who has won once in the last nine years. "There's no reason for me to stop playing. I am driven by the game."
Asked what else drives her, she replied: "Maybe it's because everyone else thinks I should quit."