Four Share Lead at LPGA's Sybase Classic

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) _ Paula Creamer and Joo Mi Kim, the leading rookies on the LPGA Tour, were among four players tied for the lead Friday after two rounds of the Sybase Classic. <br/><br/>First-round

Saturday, May 21st 2005, 11:39 am

By: News On 6

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) _ Paula Creamer and Joo Mi Kim, the leading rookies on the LPGA Tour, were among four players tied for the lead Friday after two rounds of the Sybase Classic.

First-round leader Christina Kim and 2002 Sybase champion Gloria Park were also at 5-under 137 after two trips around the Wykagyl Country Club course.

Creamer, who is 18 years old and 19th on the tour's money list, made a 9-foot birdie putt on her final hole to cap a 3-under 68 and join the four-way tie for the lead in the $1.25 million event.

She has other things on her mind as she finishes her ninth event as a professional. Creamer graduates from high school next Thursday in Bradenton, Fla.

``I think about it a lot on the course,'' she said. ``I am looking forward to next week and hopefully I can pull off a win for that. That would be fun but there's a lot of golf left.''

Creamer, who finished second at the ShopRite Classic last year as an amateur, has two top 10 finishes this year. She won 11 amateur tournaments.

``I know what it takes to win events,'' she said. ``It's all about experience.''

Joo Mi Kim, who is 49th on the money list, had a 65 to match the low round of the tournament as she broke 70 for the first time on tour. Six of her seven birdies were from 8 feet or less, including four within 3 feet.

The 20-year-old native of South Korea has three international victories to her credit and she is coming off her best finish in eight starts this year, a tie for 16th last week at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championships.

Christina Kim had a second-round 72 to not only make the cut for the first time in three appearances in this event but to hold a share of the lead.

She was one of the players most affected by Friday's raw conditions. It was overcast and in the low 50s for the morning starters and it was just a few degrees warmer for the those who played in the afternoon. There were plenty of wool ski hats and ear warmers, and some of the gloves were of the non-golf variety.

``For me, the more layers I wear, the more difficult it is for me to swing. I have to swing around my body enough as it is,'' said Christina Kim, a California native known for her cheery attitude, bright outfits and Kangol hat. ``Considering how dreary the day itself was, I think that I was pretty happy and pretty festive.''

Park's second career victory came here and that had something to do with her playing through an injury.

``I have tendinitis in the (left) wrist and I withdrew from the tournament last week and my mom wanted me to go home instead of playing here,'' she said. ``But because I like this golf course and have a good memory here, I came.''

Her time on the range has been limited by the injury but she had six birdies on Friday, including holing a bunker shot on the par-3 16th, a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th and two tap-ins on par-4s.

``It was just kind of a lucky day,'' said Park, who has a doctor's appointment early next week.

Four golfers, including two former winners of this tournament, were tied for fifth at 3-under 139.

Michele Redman, who won here in 1997, had a 67, while Hee-Won Han, the 2003 champion, had a 72. Miriam Nagl (72) and Siew-Ai Lim (73) were also two strokes behind the leaders.

Cristie Kerr, second on the money list and the only player from the top 10 in the field, had a second straight 72.

Divots: The cut was at 7-over 149. ... Kim Williams, who had an opening 75, withdrew after carding a 12-over 47 for nine holes in the second round because of a back problem. ... Defending champion Sherri Steinhauer, who also won here in 1999, had a 72 and was at 146. Beth Daniel, the only other former champion in the field (1994) had a 77 and missed the cut by two strokes. ... Beth Allen had one of the biggest turnarounds ever on a hole. In the first round she had an 11 on the par-3 16th. On Friday, she birdied the 164-yard hole. She missed the cut by five strokes.