Second straight 67 gives Alfredsson one-shot lead in Safeway Classic

8/24/2008

Healthy again, 43-year-old Helen Alfredsson is playing as well as she ever has before.

Alfredsson shot a 67 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Safeway Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

Alfredsson matched her first round of 67 for a 10-under 134, one stroke ahead of Sophie Gustafson, who shot 68.

Three strokes back of Alfredsson in third place at 137 are Paula Creamer (68) and Kelli Kuehne (70). Lorena Ochoa and first-round leader Angela Park are in a group five shots back, and Annika Sorenstam rebounded from a first-round 72 to shoot 68, putting her among nine players at 140.

Alfredsson, who won for the first time since 2003 in July at the Evian Masters, has earned $961,817 in 2008, more than double her previous best season. Alfredsson will climb over $1 million in earnings this season should she finish eighth or better in the Safeway.

It's a remarkable rebound from 2007, when Alfredsson played in only 11 tournaments and won $66,316. Alfredsson suffered from a herniated disc, which caused her to lose strength and feeling in her right arm. Surgery and months of therapy cured the problem.

Gustafson reached as low as 11 under until she made back-to-back bogeys at 16 and 17, her first two of the tournament. She ran off a string of four consecutive birdies early in the round on the way to recording a 4-under 32 on the front nine.

Gustafson is aiming to avoid a repeat of 2007, when she stumbled down the stretch, going 4 over on the final five holes to finish in a four-way tie for second, five shots behind Ochoa.

Leaderboard – Round 2:

1.  Helen Alfredsson                    67 67 134 -10
2.  Sophie Gustafson                   67 68 135 - 9
3.  Keli Kuehne                           67 70 137 - 7
     Paula Creamer                       69 68 137 - 7
5.  Cristie Kerr                             71 67 138 - 6
     Jee Young Lee                       70 68 138 - 6
     Leta Lindley                           69 69 138 - 6
     Becky Morgan                         68 70 138 - 6
     Karen Stupples                       67 71 138 - 6
     Inbee Park                             70 68 138 - 6
     Katherine Hull                         71 67 138 - 6

Source: AP, LPGA Tour