GOLF Estill is Corning leader after 64

David Toms is positioned to defend his title at the St. Jude Classic.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CORNING, N.Y. -- The Annika chase didn't last long.
Just hours after Annika Sorenstam seemed assured of the second-round lead at the Corning Classic after an impressive 5-under 67 Friday, Michelle Estill shot a stunning 64 and was one stroke in front of the Swedish star.
Estill was at 13-under 131, one stroke better than the 36-hole record set last year by Lorie Kane and Catriona Matthew. Sorenstam was alone in second, four shots ahead of 2001 Corning champion Carin Koch, who had a 68.
Liselotte Neumann, who began the day tied for the lead with Sorenstam, struggled to a 72 that included five bogeys, three birdies and an eagle. She was at 137, tied with Sherri Steinhauer (70), Natalie Gulbis (71), Mhairi McKay (66), Denise Killeen (68) and Laura Diaz (68), who won here two years ago.
But the day belonged to Estill, and it didn't take her long to realize it might be something special. Playing in only her fourth tournament of the year, Estill had five birdies and a bogey for a 31 to match the tournament record on the back nine.
"I got off to a smooth start and just managed to stay afloat," said Estill, whose 15-foot birdie putt into the wind at No. 9 gave her the lead. "The wind kind of affected the putts, but I made it. It was tough out there, but it was lots of fun."
Sorenstam was long gone when Estill started her challenge. Estill, who had an opening 67, jumped to 11 under with an eagle at No. 2 and tied Sorenstam for the lead with a birdie at No. 5.
The round matched Estill's career low and was quite a turnaround from last year, when she made only two cuts in 20 tournaments. Her only LPGA win came 13 years ago, so she's certainly in unfamiliar territory.
"I've probably never [been in the lead]. When I won in Portland, I wasn't leading after the second round," said Estill, who needed only 25 putts Friday. "But there's two days left. Two days is a lot of golf on this course."
PGA Tour
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- David Toms should never, ever miss playing a round at the TPC at Southwind.
Toms turned in his best round this year with an 8-under 63 that helped the defending champion lead Vaughn Taylor by a stroke after the second round of the St. Jude Classic on Friday.
The defending St. Jude champion carded six birdies and an eagle for his 10th straight round in the 60s here and a 12-under 130.
"It seems the more I've played this tournament, the better I've played. The last few years it's been good to me," Toms said.
At No. 16 in the world, Toms is the highest-ranked player in this event, and he isn't willing to give all the credit to the course. He missed three of his first four cuts here but finished fourth in 2002 and went 20 under last year.
"My golf game's gotten better over the last few years. That probably has a lot to do with it as well," Toms said.
Taylor, who had never led a round in a PGA Tour event before Thursday, did his best to keep pace with a bogey-free 65. He will play with Toms in the final group today, a first he spent Friday trying to prepare for mentally by looking at his name on the leaderboards.
"I like seeing my name up there," said Taylor, who earned his card by finishing 11th on the Nationwide Tour in 2003. "I'm trying to get used to it, so when I do see it up there it's not a shock to me."
Ben Crane was third, five strokes back, after a 65 followed by a four-way tie at 136 with John Daly (65), Tim Herron (64), Paul Stankowski (69) and Ted Purdy (64). A total of 74 golfers made the cut at 1 over.
Senior PGA
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Wayne Levi made four birdies just before the second round was suspended because of darkness Friday and held a one-shot lead in the rain-delayed Senior PGA Championship.
The 52-year-old Levi was one of 72 players who completed his first round late at Valhalla Golf Club on Friday afternoon. Levi shot an opening 69, then made the four birdies through the first 11 holes of his second round to move to 6-under.
Gil Morgan was 5-under through nine holes on his second round when a horn signaled the end of play at 8:44 p.m. Hale Irwin and Tom Watson, among 78 players who did not begin their second rounds Friday, were another stroke back.
First-round co-leader Jay Haas bogeyed two of his last four holes Friday and was one of three players at 3-under.
The second round was scheduled to resume at 7:30 a.m. today. PGA officials were hoping to complete the third round as well.
Heavy rain has hampered the tournament since Wednesday afternoon, when a thunderstorm postponed practice rounds.
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