Superstition, Arizona, Mar 20: Annika Sorenstam has stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the Safeway International, carding a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 that she hopes leaves room for improvement over the weekend. It was the second round on the LPGA Tour this year for Sorenstam, the Swedish superstar who skipped the US season-opening event last week in Tucson.
She won her first start of the year in Australia in February.
Sorenstam is her own harshest critic. Sometimes leading isn`t even good enough. Asked if she is in midseason form after grabbing a one-stroke lead over Cristie Kerr, Sorenstam was her usual self.

Sorenstam, who already has qualified for the LPGA Hall of Fame and undoubtedly is the best female golfer in the world, reached 12-under 132 after 36 holes. American Christie Kerr was a stroke back, with South Korean star Se Ri Pak alone in third, three shots off the pace.
Michelle Wie was a distant 13th at 5-under 139, but the 14-year-old from Hawaii showed fans why she has attracted so much hype by carding a 67. She totaled eight birdies and three bogeys.
"I was happy the way I hit the ball," the ninth-grader said. "My second shots were really good. They were really close to the hole".
First-round leader Kim Saiki was the only player in the top 15 who did not break par, posting a 73 that dropped her into a tie for seventh at 137. Lorena Ochoa of Mexico was one of three players at 136, a stroke better than a group of five that includes Saiki, Laura Davies of England and South Korean Grace Park.
They`re all looking up at Sorenstam, whis is 36 holes from her 49th LPGA win, which would move her past Nancy Lopez into sixth place on the all-time list.
Sorenstam scattered her birdies around the 6,620-yard layout, the longest on tour this season. She credited her low score in part to the condition of the course, especially its receptive greens.
Bureau Report