RANCHO MIRAGE, California: American Stacy Lewis kept her cool on rock-hard greens in sweltering desert heat to grab a commanding three-shot lead in the second round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship Friday. Joint pacesetter overnight with compatriot and good friend Brittany Lincicome, the 26-year-old ground out a three-under-par 69 to take control of the opening women's major of the season. With the unseasonably high spring temperatures reaching 102 degrees (38.88 degrees Celsius) at Mission Hills Country Club, Lewis posted a nine-under total of 135. Lincicome, who won her first major title here two years ago, offset four birdies with four bogeys for a level-par 72 to share second place with fellow American Jane Park (70) and defending champion Yani Tseng of Taiwan (68). Korean Amy Yang and 2007 winner Morgan Pressel of the US were knotted at five under after carding 69s while American Michelle Wie, who hit a young girl on the head with an errant drive at the first, was a further two shots back after a 67. Lewis, bidding for her first LPGA victory, was delighted to eke out a three-under score on a tough day for scoring with difficult pin positions on lightning-fast greens. “I made some really good up-and-downs and stayed really patient on the back nine,” she told reporters after mixing four birdies with a lone bogey. “I was fortunate to get away with a couple of pars that I probably shouldn't have and I posted a good number, I think.” Due to the scorching heat of Thursday's opening round, each of the sun-baked greens was watered for four minutes overnight. Kirk upstages big names Little-known American Chris Kirk kept alive his faint hopes of qualifying for next week's US Masters by taking a one-shot lead in the second round of the Houston Open Friday. The 25-year-old, who needs to win this week to make his debut in the season's opening major at Augusta National, birdied his last two holes for a three-under-par 69. That left him at nine-under 135, a stroke in front of compatriots Johnson Wagner (67) and defending champion Anthony Kim, who rocketed up the leaderboard with a best-of-the-day 64 at Redstone Golf Club. Triple major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland (69) was a further shot back at seven under, level with Americans Josh Teater (72) and first-round leader Jimmy Walker (74). Kirk, who won twice last year on the PGA Tour's satellite circuit, the Nationwide Tour, was thrilled with the way he bounced back from a double-bogey at the par-five fourth, his 13th hole of the day, where he three-putted. Kirk played Augusta National four times as a student, through invitations by University of Georgia alumni, and he would dearly love to play his way into the Masters. Among the other big names, British world number two Lee Westwood returned a 72 to lie five shots off the pace, level with Masters champion Phil Mickelson who carded a 70 while being watched by former President George H.W. Bush. The cut fell at even-par 144 with former major winners Angel Cabrera of Argentina, Americans Rich Beem and Justin Leonard, plus South Korean Yang Yong-eun, among those failing to advance. Two share lead Defending champion Rhys Davies and Dutchman Joost Luiten defied strong winds at the Hassan II Trophy to share the lead after the second round in Agadir Friday. Briton Davies, the European team's non-playing 13th man at the 2010 Ryder Cup, and Luiten carded rounds of 70 and 69 respectively to hold a one-shot advantage on six-under 137. Overnight leader Peter Lawrie of Ireland struggled to a five-over 76 to slip back to three-under overall. Welshman Davies, who has not managed a top-20 finish this season, picked up two birdies and dropped just one shot. “The wind is blowing hard and the gusts are very strong so it's making it very difficult,” he told reporters. “But I hit it very nicely again today and holed some good putts.” Luiten, yet to win on the tour, enjoyed a roller-coaster round that included seven birdies and two double bogeys. “I was good on the back nine with four birdies so that kept me going,” said Luiten. “My form was alright coming into this event. I was 18th last week in Spain and didn't really play that great but now I'm starting to putt a little better.”
