GOLD COAST, Australia -- Karrie Webb parred the only two
holes she played Saturday to take a one-stroke lead in the
rain-shortened ANZ Ladies Masters.
Webb, the Australian seeking her fifth victory in the tournament
in six years, finished off a 6-under 66 with a 25-foot putt, giving
her a 10-under 134 total on Royal Pines' East Course.
After completing the suspended second round in drizzle, play was
called off for the rest of the day and the tournament was reduced
to 54 holes. The forecast for Sunday is for better weather.
Webb got out of bed at 4:30 a.m., had two muesli bars for
breakfast and teed off two hours later.
"I probably should not have been out there this morning, but we
had to get two rounds done,'' Webb said. "Based on what we saw of
the course, it is not playable. It will have to stop raining for us
to get out again.''
About five hours later, the rain hadn't stopped and Webb's
prediction came true.
"The course was pretty saturated,'' Ladies European Tour
official Andy Lott said. "We didn't think it would be fair to send
the players out in those conditions.''
England's Laura Davies was a stroke back after a 68. She birdied
the 18th, the last of three she played Saturday.
Webb and Davies were among the 48 players who finished their
second rounds Saturday morning after rain delayed the start of play
for 2½ hours Friday.
When the second-round cut was made, the mark of even-par 144 was
the lowest in the history of the European tour, beating the 1-over
par mark last year in Webb's British Open victory.
Australia's Rebecca Stevenson was 8 under after a 68, and young
Mexican star Lorena Ochia (68) was another stroke back along with
Scotland's Janice Moodie (69), France's Patricia Meunier Lebouc
(71) and New Zealand's Brenda Ormsby (66). Moodie and Ormsby both
finished their rounds Friday.