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WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, Nov 18 (AFP) - Annika Sorenstam eagled both par-5 holes on the front nine on her way to firing a two-under par 70 Friday to grab a two-stroke lead after 36 holes at the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship.
The Swedish world number one stood at five-under par 139 midway through the one million-dollar event with South Korean Hee-Won Han second on 141 after a second-round 74. Americans Cristie Kerr and Michele Redman shared third on 142.
Sorenstam struggled with two double bogeys on the back nine in Thursday's opening round and her woes continued when she opened with a bogey Friday.
But she answered with an eagle at the par-5 third. She took another bogey at the par-3 seventh hole but answered with another eagle at the par-5 ninth, then parred every hole on the back nine.
Sorenstam is bidding for her second career 10-triumph season at the event, which features the year's 30 top LPGA money winners. She won 11 times in 2002 and would join Mickey Wright as the only players with multiple 10-win seasons with a victory here.
Sorenstam has nine victories in 19 starts and leads the money list with nearly 2.4 million dollars. She has defended five titles in eight tries.
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