WORLD No.1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico birdied the last three holes to fire a five-under 67, seizing a two-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA Sybase Classic.Ochoa, whose four-event win streak was snapped last week by Sweden`s Annika Sorenstam, stood on nine-under 135 after 36 holes with Sweden`s Sophie Gustafson and Taiwan`s Teresa Lu next on 137.
"I played really good today,`` Ochoa said. "It wasn`t easy with the wind in all different directions. I`m just glad I`m on top right now.``
The tournament was shortened to 54 holes after heavy rain swamped the layout with less than half the field on the course, wiping out what play had been achieved in favor of restarting the second round on Saturday.
Koreans Hye-Jung Choi and Na Yeon Choi each fired 68s to share fourth on 138, one stroke ahead of American Brittany Lang and two better than American Kristy McPherson, Britain`s Catriona Matthew and Sorenstam, who fired a 73.
Second-ranked Sorenstam, who will retire at the end of the 2008 season, shared the lead when the round began but was undone by a double bogey at the 18th hole.
Ochoa birdied the par-three 3rd and par-five 5th holes, followed a birdie at the par-five 11th with her only bogey of the day at 12 and birdied 16, 17 and 18 to take command.
"I don`t expect her to come back to the field, we are going to have to catch her,`` Sorenstam said of Ochoa.
"I know how to play this golf course, and I think it would be great if I got off to a good start, climbed up the leaderboard a bit.``
Agence France-Presse
