WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Lorena Ochoa started with a birdie, pulling her even with Annika Sorenstam, the playing partner she replaced as the No. 1 female golfer in the world.

Two holes later, Sorenstam answered. And then again at the par-4 16th, rolling in a birdie putt from 8 feet away after Ochoa briefly drew even with a tap-in from an inch.

So it went yesterday in the Michelob Ultra Open, where sometimes driving rain and two rain delays did little to put a damper on a friendly duel between the game's best players.

Sorenstam followed a 64 with a 66, leaving her at 12-under 130, three better than Ochoa, whose bogey at the last hole gave her 68, and Jeong Jang, who matched Sorenstam with her 66.

"I'm right there, so I'm excited," Ochoa said.

The day wasn't as good for Hawai'i's Michelle Wie. Playing in her first tournament in 2 1/2 months, the Stanford freshman followed a 4-over 75 with a 71 and missed the cut by four strokes.

"I just feel really rusty," she said after making a birdie on the final hole to finish even on the day. "I feel like I just need to play more. ... I feel like I can get it back."

Meena Lee shot 68 and was five shots behind Sorenstam, with Jimin Kang (69), Kristy McPherson (68), Meredith Duncan (68), Becky Morgan (69) and Karen Stupples (69) at 6 under.

PGA TOUR

VETERAN PERRY LEADS THE PLAYERS

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Hot blasts of wind on a diabolical course made The Players Championship tough enough to turn someone's hair gray. Not that the leaders needed any help with that yesterday.

The 47-year-old Kenny Perry, who first showed up at Sawgrass 20 years ago, kept his wits and his patience in 35 mph gusts and made only one bogey in a solid round of 2-under 70 that gave him a one-shot lead going into the weekend.

He will be paired with Bernhard Langer, who already has won twice this year — on the Champions Tour.

The two-time Masters champion and former Ryder Cup captain thought about withdrawing Thursday morning when he felt pain in his lower back, which caused his groin and left knee to ache, along with his left shoulder. All those creaking joints, and the 50-year-old Langer still managed to produce a 67 and entertain hopes of winning against kids who weren't even born when he won his first Masters.

Paul Goydos, 43, also was one shot behind, although he didn't attribute his fine play to experience.

"I'm more journeyman than veteran," he said after a 71.

Crashing the party — naptime might be more apropos — was Sergio Garcia, the 28-year-old Spaniard whose driving was as spectacular as his putting was atrocious. Garcia hit all 14 fairways, missed only three greens and took 33 putts on his way to a 73.

What cost him the 36-hole lead was a double bogey on the island-green 17th without ever going into the water.

Garcia's tee shot went over the back of the green and rolled down the artificial turf path, leaving him a chip over a corner of the water. His shot came out hot, rolled off the green and only a slight rise in the first cut of rough kept it dry. He chipped weakly and missed another putt, then missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the last.

"I probably deserved a little bit more than what I got," Garcia said.

Hawai'i's Dean Wilson, a Castle High alum, shot a 71 for a 146 total and made the cut for the final two rounds.

EUROPEAN PGA

KARLSSON RIDES RECORD 61 TO ITALIAN OPEN LEAD

MILAN, Italy — Robert Karlsson of Sweden shot a course-record 11-under 61 yesterday to take the lead after the second round of the Italian Open.

Karlsson had two eagles and eight birdies to go with one bogey to finish the round at 15-under 129. Hennie Otto and Mark Foster were two strokes back in second place after both shot 66 to go with first-round 65s. Estanislao Goya and Anders Hansen were four shots off the lead.

John Daly carded a 73 and was 11 strokes back.