Safeway Classic – 2nd Round

Helen Alfredsson posted her second straight 67 to take the lead at the Safeway Classic. Sophie Gustafson is one shot behind at -9 while Paula Creamer and Kelli Kuehne are tied for third at -7.

Alfredsson’s only bogey of the first two rounds came Saturday at the par-5 7th but she still went out in 33. Gustafson birdied four straight on the front nine and was -11 through 15 holes but took bogey at 16 and 17 to fall back. Creamer started on the back nine and closed with birdies at 7 and 8 to get in good position for Sunday. Kuehne also finished on the front side and came in with 34 but it could have been so much better – bogeys at 6 and 8 prevented her from being in a tie for second.

The cut was even par. Leaving on their two-week break a day early are Yani Tseng (who rallied to a 69 and only missed it by one), Christina Kim, Nicole Castrale, Stacy Prammanasudh, Natalie Gulbis and Se Ri Pak. Fortunate daughters include Seon Hwa Lee, Angela Stanford, Candie Kung and Morgan Pressel.

Seven players are at -6 and nine more are at -5 - Cristie Kerr, Jee Young Lee, Karrie Webb, Canadian Open champ Katherine Hull and Lorena Ochoa are most notable of the bunch. So with 18 holes to play, twenty players are within five shots of the lead. We’ll see if Helen and Sophie allow the Sunday Free-For-All to develop.