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Swedish superstar Annika Sorenstam shrugged off some shaky moments to maintain a share of the lead Friday after two rounds of the LPGA Samsung World Championship.
Sorenstam, the defending champion who is seeking her sixth title in the elite event, finished a roller-coaster of a day at Bighorn Golf Club with a one-under 71 for six-under 138.
She was joined atop the leaderboard by American Paula Creamer and fellow Swede Sophie Gustafson.
Sorenstam recorded six birdies - including No. 18 - but also bogeyed three holes and double-bogeyed the par-four ninth.
Sorenstam, whose other titles here came in 1995, 1996, 2002 and 2004, joins Hall of Famer Mickey Wright as the only players in LPGA Tour history to win the same tournament five times.
If Sorenstam can win her third straight title here, she would make it a record six, and claim her 70th LPGA tour triumph. Only Wright with 82 and Kathy Whitworth with 88 have more.
Gustafson had six birdies and four bogeys en route to a 70, while Creamer nabbed five birdies and just one bogey, at the ninth, in her 68.
Sherri Steinhauer was one shot off the pace at five-under 139. Her blemish-free 67 was the best round of the day.
Australian Karrie Webb (69) and first-round co-leader Lorena Ochoa of Mexico (73) were two shots back.
While Sorenstam is looking for a historic win, Michelle Wie is back and looking for her first, but she faced a long road back at the weekend.
Wie, who turned 17 on Wednesday, followed up a two-over 74 with an even-par 72 and was tied for 15th, eight shots off the pace.
Last year, Wie made her professional debut at this event. She would have finished fourth but was disqualified after the tournament ended for an improper drop made in the third round.
Wie only has played seven LPGA Tour events this year because she is not a tour member but still has earned 718,343 dollars, which would put her at No. 14 on the money list.
She also has finished in the top five in six of her seven events.
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Golf-USLPGA
AFP 132255 GMT 10 06
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