Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Annika Sorenstam's pesky missed cut streak is finally over.
The eight-time LPGA Tour player of the year shot a 4-under 67 Saturday in the second round of the Sybase Classic, a round good enough to have her one stroke behind leader Gloria Park and well above the cut line.
"Obviously I'm very happy. I get to play Sunday so that's a good thing. I've improved from last week. Kidding aside, I'm very happy," said Sorenstam, who was at 3-under 139 for two trips around the 6,161-yard Wykagyl Country Club course.
Park, the 2002 winner, also shot a 67.
Tampa's Beth Bauer, who shared the lead after the first round, ballooned to a 74 and is tied for ninth at even-par 142.
With all play wiped out Friday because of heavy rain and the first round not being completed until Saturday morning, LPGA officials decided to shorten the $1.3-million tournament to 54 holes. The only other time this tournament was shortened to 54 holes was in 2000, the second time Sorenstam won it.
Allison Hanna, who had missed her last four cuts and had a best finish of a tie for 22nd this year, bogeyed two of her last three holes in a 71 that had her at 140.
Helen Alfredsson had a 66, the day's low round, and was in a group of five tied for fourth at 1 under. Laura Diaz (68), 1992 champion Juli Inkster (69), rookie Seon Hwa Lee (71) and 2003 champion Hee-Won Han (73) also were at 141.
Han had the best round Saturday of the three players who were tied for the first-round lead with 68s. Natalie Gulbis matched Bauer with a 74.
Bauer was tied for ninth at even-par 142. The 2002 LPGA rookie of the year made her first cut in nearly a year. Coming into this tournament, she had missed 14 straight cuts, including four this year.
Sorenstam shot two 73s last week in missing the cut at the Michelob Ultra Open by one stroke. She had last missed a cut in 2002, a run of 69 events.
Tim Herron holed a bunker shot for birdie on No. 14 and rebounded from two late bogeys with a birdie on the 18th for a share of the third-round lead in the Colonial with Rod Pampling.
Herron, who won the last of his three PGA Tour victories seven years ago at Bay Hill, shot a 2-under 68 to match Pampling (70) at 10-under 200 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Nathan Green (67), Richard S. Johnson (68) and Peter Lonard (69) were 9 under, and Bo Van Pelt (67), Henrik Bjornstad (69) and Charley Hoffman (71) were 8 under. EUROPEAN PGA:
Thomas Bjorn sank a 40-foot eagle putt at the final hole to share the third-round lead with Paul Casey and Anthony Wall at the Irish Open in Maynooth, Ireland.
Bjorn had a 5-under 67 for a 5-under total of 211. Casey had a 68 and Wall 70. NATIONWIDE TOUR:
Jeff Burns shot a 2-over 74 but still led by one heading into today's final round of the Henrico County Open in Richmond, Va.
Burns is at 11-under 205, one stroke ahead of Peter Tomasulo, who shot 1-under 71. ASIAN TOUR:
Australia's Brad Kennedy fired a 2-under 69 to stretch his lead to three strokes at the Macau Open.
Kennedy is at 11-under 202. Kane Webber, who began the today a stroke behind Kennedy, shot even-par 71 and is at 8-under 205.
To see more of The St. Petersburg Times, go to http://www.sptimes.com .
© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.