Golf roundup | Friday’s other events

LPGA

AVENTURA, Fla. — Annika Sorenstam has made no secret that she wasn’t thrilled about the course setup this week at the Stanford International Pro-Am. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy — and thrive on — demanding courses. Sorenstam shot a 4-under 67 on the Soffer course Friday, drawing her within one shot of Young Kim at the midway point of the inaugural event, being contested at Turnberry Isle. Kim also shot a 67, matching her first-round score on Turnberry’s Miller track. They’ll enter the third round with a solid cushion over Paula Creamer (71) and Angela Stanford (70), both of whom were 2 under. “So far, so good,” Sorenstam said. “We have a long ways to go.” Sorenstam’s day began with three straight birdies, and on a day where par seemed like a mystifying score for most players, that was enough to cement her status near the top of the leaderboard. Only seven players were under par through two rounds, with Meena Lee (71), Momeko Ueda (72) and Kyeong Bae (71) at 1 under to round out that elite group. “It’s not easy out there,” said Sorenstam, who finished the day with five birdies and one bogey. “To get off to a good start like that, it’s important. It gives you a little more confidence for the day. I’m very happy with the way I played today. I hit the ball extremely well. A lot of fairways, a lot of greens.” For almost everyone else, it was a battle. The cut was 7 over, and even that wasn’t enough to keep Morgan Pressel (74) around for the weekend at the tournament taking place about a half-hour south of her home. Pressel plays with the Stanford logo on her sleeve, and giant photos of her are plastered everywhere at Turnberry this week.

Champions Tour

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Tom Watson and Andy North teamed to birdie the first seven holes en route to a better-ball 13-under 59 and a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Watson, who won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am last week in Florida, shot a 62 with his own ball and picked up twice when makable birdie putts weren’t needed. He made the team’s final birdie with an 8-foot putt on the par-3 17th. The teams of R.W. Eaks and Bob Gilder, Keith Fergus and Wayne Levi, Morris Hatalsky and Don Pooley, and John Cook and Joey Sindelar were 10 under.

European/Asian Tour

SHANGHAI, China — China’s Zhang Lian-Wei and Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen shot 3-under 69s to share the second-round lead in the BMW Asian Open. Derksen and Zhang had 5-under 139 totals. Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke was a stroke back after a 69 in the event sanctioned by European and Asian tours.

Associated Press