Pettersen, Uribe top crowded leaderboard at Manulife

Norway's Suzann Pettersen fired a bogey-free seven-under 65 to seize a share of the lead with Mariajo Uribe atop a crowded leaderboard after the second round of the LPGA Tour's Manulife Classic.

Pettersen missed just three fairways and hit every green to sit tied with Uribe, who shot a bogey-free round of 66. The duo shares the lead heading into the weekend at 13-under 131.

"I think if you hit all the fairways, you're going to give yourself a lot of chances with your irons, so I tried to be aggressive," said Pettersen, who posted seven birdies, including four on the back nine.

"The par fives are very scoreable -- you've just got to try and take care of business on those -- and if you can squeeze in a birdie or two or three on the rest of the holes, you're in good position."

Cristie Kerr, who tied for the lead after the first round, carded a three-under 69 and is alone in third place at 12-under 132 at the Whistle Bear Country Club course.

Tseng Ya-ni(65), Kim Kaufman (66), Victoria Elizabeth (66), Pernilla Lindberg (67), Kim Hyo-Joo (67), Brittany Lang (68) and Laetitia Beck (69) are all tied at 11-under.

The cut line on Friday fell at four-under 140, the lowest 36-hole cut in USLPGA Tour history. Players continued to take advantage of scoreable conditions on Friday but nothing like Thursday when Thailand's PK Kongkraphan, American Cristie Kerr and Cheyenne Woods of the US tied the course record by posting nine-under 63s.

The 34-year-old Pettersen has looked good since returning from a left shoulder injury that forced her to pull out of the LOTTE Championship two months ago.

"I am enjoying myself out there," Pettersen said.

Colombia's Uribe, who is seeking her first USLPGA Tour win, is expecting a shootout on the weekend.

"No matter the conditions people are going to go out there and shoot low," said Uribe, who had three birdies on both the back and front nine. "I am just going to hope for a good weekend."

Defending champion and world number two Park In-Bee (68) is tied for 23rd at seven-under 137.

South Korea's Se Ri Pak pulled out following the second round with a back injury.

Karrie Webb (71), Stacy Lewis (72) and Morgan Pressel (71) failed to make the cut.
Source: AFP