Inkster takes second-round lead

Defending champion Juli Inkster shot a 5-under-par 67 and took a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge in Lincoln, California.

Last year, Inkster took the lead for good on the second day at Twelve Bridges Golf Club, also shooting a 67.

This year, her 137 total was one stroke ahead of Carin Koch and Brandie Burton.

Inkster had six birdies and one bogey on Friday, mastering the par-5s with birdies on all four.

Sweden's Koch, the runner-up in the 1998 tournament, and Burton each matched their opening-round 69s. Koch had three birdies on Friday, while Burton had five.

Jill McGill had a 70 and was alone in fourth, two shots behind Inkster.

First-round leaders Cindy Figg-Currier and Australia's Rachel Heatherington both shot 74s, eight strokes off their scores on Thursday.

Leading second-round scores from the LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge in California (USA unless stated):

137 J Inkster 70 67 138 B Burton 69 69, C Koch (Swe) 69 69 139 J McGill 69 70 140 C Figg-Currier 66 74, R Hetherington (Aus) 66 74 141 K Tschetter 72 69 142 S Turner 71 71, K Golden 71 71 143 A J Eathorne (Can) 76 67, K Albers 74 69, L Lindley 73 70, K Kuehne 72 71, J Geddes 71 72, S Gustafson (Swe) 70 73 144 E Klein 76 68, B Iverson 72 72, M Hjorth (Swe) 72 72, L Spalding 71 73, A Sorenstam (Swe) 71 73, D D'Alessio 71 73, B Whitehead 70 74, S Ri Pak (Kor) 70 74, M McKay (Gbr) 69 75, M Bell 67 77

Others:

146 Sherri Steinhauer 73 73 147 C McMillan (GB) 74 73 149 J Morley (GB) 78 71 152 L Hackney (GB) 77 75