Golf: Sorenstam can't believe it

Annika Sorenstam's pursuit of golf's Holy Grail, the Grand Slam, looks to have foundered at the US Women's Golf Open at Cherry Hills.

Sorenstam closed her second round with three bogeys to leave her six shots behind shock leader Nicole Perrot of Chile.

"Sometimes you just can't analyse things," Sorenstam said after a four-over 75. "You've got to drop it and move on."

Perrot, a 21-year-old from a country of just 58 private golf courses, shot her second straight round of one-under 70 by staying clear of trouble down the stretch. At two-under 140, she was the only player under par after two rounds.

The final group will not be without some star power.

While Sorenstam showed she is not invincible, 15-year-old Michelle Wie came of age by salvaging pars in a scrappy round for a one-over 73 that left her at 142 and in the final pairing with Perrot.

"I could have shot some ridiculous numbers today but I kept my head and made a couple of good par putts - that kept me going," Wie said.

On the men's tour Jim Furyk was clinging to the second-round clubhouse lead at the Barclays Classic in Harrison, New York, after carding a two-under 69 at the Westchester Country Club.

Furyk, who held a three-stroke lead overnight, maintained most of his advantage thanks to an eagle on the par-four eighth to sit on eight-under 134 through 36 holes.

Just two shots back were Americans Len Mattiace (65) and Kenny Perry (68), Australian John Senden (67), Japan's Hidemichi Tanaka (68) and Irishman Padraig Harrington (65).

Since claiming his maiden PGA Tour win at the Honda Classic in March, Harrington has battled indifferent form, missing the cut in three of six events, including the Masters and US Open.

The Irishman, however, put on a flawless display on Friday, until a bogey on his second-last hole dropped him back into the pack.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia, who closed his opening round with four consecutive bogeys, continued his swoon on Friday carding three more bogeys on his front nine before pulling out of his tailspin with three birdies to return a level-par 71.

The Spaniard, however, remains well off the pace, nine shots behind the leader.

Meanwhile, Argentina's Eduardo Romero made light of his 50 years to capture the French Open second-round lead with a course record, nine-under 62. Romero will comfortably become the European Tour's oldest winner if he maintains the flawless form that took him two shots ahead of the field. He hit nine birdies after playing 27 holes in one day at the storm-affected event.

First-round leader Jean Van de Velde (70) of France shared second position with Dane Soren Hansen (69) and Britain's Jonathan Lomas (69) on eight-under 134.

- REUTERS