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Kerr Grabs Lead At Bell Micro Classic

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The Associated Press

Published: September 13, 2008

MOBILE, Ala. - Cristie Kerr moved into position for her second straight LPGA Tour victory, shooting a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Angela Stanford in the Bell Micro LPGA Classic.

Kerr, the 2006 U.S. Women's Open champion coming off a playoff victory Aug. 24 in the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., had a 9-under 135 total on The Crossing course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.

Stanford had a 67. Michelle Ellis was 6 under after a 70, and Reilley Rankin followed at 5 under after a 69.

Laura Diaz (68), Mollie Fankhauser (68), Katherine Hull (69), Irene Cho (72) and first-round leaders Shanshan Feng (73) and Anna Rawson (73) were 4 under.

Paula Creamer, an eight-stroke winner last year at The Crossings in the Tournament of Champions, followed her opening 78 with a 69 to make the cut at 3 over.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Defending champion R.W. Eaks shot an 11-under 61 in the Greater Hickory Classic, missing a chance for the first 59 in Champions Tour history when he parred the final three holes.

"I hit my first ball down the fairway, and thought, 'You know what? This is going to be a great day,'" said Eaks, three strokes ahead of second-place Tom Jenkins.

After making nine birdies and an eagle to reach 11 under after 15 holes, the 56-year-old Eaks had good birdie chances on the final two holes and missed a 5-foot putt on No. 16, a 13-footer on 17 and a 10-footer on 18.

The 61 - the best score this year on the Champions Tour - left him a stroke short of tying the record on the 50-and-over circuit.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Robert Karlsson of Sweden took a one-stroke lead in the Mercedes Benz Championship after shooting a 3-under 69 in the second round.

Karlsson had three birdies on the front nine and finished at 8-under 136. First-round co-leader Jean Francois Lucquin of France was one back after a 71.

Defending Mercedes champion Soren Hansen of Denmark, also on Europe's team, had 10 birdies in a 67 that had him four shots back.

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