It's been a while since Beth Daniel had a pulse-quickening round like this. Conjuring up memories of her vintage years on tour, the Hall of Famer shot a 6-under 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.
"I was thinking out there on the last few holes that it was nice to have my heart rate going a little bit and feeling a little something, because I really haven't been in contention that much this year to get my heart rate up," the 48-year-old Daniel said.
She is at 7-under 135 after her best round of the year, a shot better than South Koreans Hee-Won Han and Birdie Kim. Han had a 67 and first-round co-leader Kim an even-par 71 after opening with a 65.
Daniel has 33 career wins, but just one in the last decade. Her victory at the 2003 Canadian Women's Open made her the oldest player to win an LPGA event.
But she hasn't finished in the top eight in 10 starts this year and is 53rd on the money list.
"The way I've played this year hasn't been a lot of fun," she said.
Daniel's round started quietly enough. After an opening 70, she bogeyed the first hole to fall to even for the tournament before birdieing three of the next four holes. After seven consecutive pars, she birdied three holes in a row and four of the next five to break a tie with Kim.
Play was suspended due to lightning just seconds after Daniel hit her approach to about 15 feet below the hole on the par-5 18th. After a delay of almost two hours, she two-putted for par.
Daniel has cut back her schedule in recent years while trying to maintain her competitive edge. Finding the correct balance hasn't been easy.
"I would call myself semiretired at this point," she said. "I've been torn. I'm out here and sometimes I want to be home. I can honestly say when I'm home I don't want to be on tour. For any athlete, it's hard to know when to stop."
Farr, a longtime friend, presented her for induction to the Hall of Fame in 2000. She has always played well at the stop in suburban Toledo, with four top 10s including two fourth-place finishes.
Despite two good rounds, she said it was too early to roll back the clock.
"The years never melt away," she said. "Unfortunately, they NEVER melt away. Plus, it's a little bit early in the tournament to be getting sentimental anyway."
Kim had bogeys on three of the first four holes, then birdied three of the next four before closing with 10 straight pars.
"Today my tee shots were not very good," said Kim, who won the U.S. Women's Open two weeks ago by holing a sand shot on the 72nd hole. "It was not easy today. But after the sixth hole, I hit it pretty good."
Han, who changed putters on Tuesday, had 28 putts in her 67.
Defending champion Meg Mallon (69), Jeong Jang (69), Gloria Park (70), Marilyn Lovander (68), Dorothy Delasin (67) and Brittany Lang (68) _ making her pro debut _ were all two shots back at 137.
Making the cut at 1-over 143 was amateur Morgan Pressel, who tied Lang for second behind Kim at the Open.
It's been a while since Beth Daniel had a pulse-quickening round like this. Conjuring up memories of her vintage years on tour, the Hall of Famer shot a 6-under 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.