Annika Sorenstam (AFP)
Annika Sorenstam was back in a familiar position - on top of the leaderboard - at the halfway stage Friday of the Dubai Ladies Masters, the season-ending tournament on the Ladies European Tour.
At the Majlis course of Emirates Golf Club, the Swede was flawless in a six-under par 66 round, which included one eagle and four birdies.
That gave her a one-shot lead at eight-under 136 over Australian Nikki Garrett, who matched Sorenstam's second-round score of 66.
Russian Maria Verchenova, Italy's Veronica Zorzi and overnight leader Johanna Head of England were tied for third at six-under, while the veteran Briton Laura Davies was among those tied for sixth place at five-under 139.
This is the last professional appearance of Sorenstam as a professional and she is determined to go out in style.
If she does win her 90th international title on Sunday, it will be her third successive Dubai Ladies Masters trophy in the three-year history of the tournament.
But such thoughts were far from Sorenstam's mind, even as she expressed immense satisfaction from the round.
Still suffering from the after-effects of the flu she picked up last week in Malaysia, Sorenstam said: "I put in my whole energy in to give that extra push to today's round. I needed to clean up a few things after the first day.
"I am really happy to be where I am and with the round. I wanted to go bogey-free today, and I achieved it.
"But there are still 36 holes to go and it is going to be a long weekend. Hopefully, a good night's rest will put me in good shape physically for that."
Sorenstam went out in 30, five-under par, after making an eagle on the par-5 third, where she hit a 5-iron second shot to 10 feet, and birdies on the sixth, seventh and ninth holes.
On the back nine, which has three par-5s, she made one more birdie.
"I should have picked up a few shots on the back nine. I hit a lot of wedges there, and even hit the pin on the 11th. But that's how it goes," she added.
Garrett, who was the Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour in 2006, loves to practise boxing in her spare time, and was all set for a sparring session with the greatest female golfer of all time.
"I played very well today, hit a lot of greens and made a few putts. It was a very enjoyable round," said the 24-year-old Aussie who followed up her rookie season with two wins in 2007.
"It's been a while since I won my last tournament, and it would be great if I win here.
"But with Annika there, and so determined to do well in her final tournament, I know it won't be easy. However, I am quite excited about the weekend," she added.
Ladies European Tour Money List leader Gwladys Nocera of France submitted a vastly improved card of three-under 69 to improve to tied 37th position at even-par for the tournament.
© 2008 AFP/sid
