Creamer defies windy conditions to capture LPGA lead

American Paula Creamer seized a narrow one-shot lead here Friday with an even-par 71 in the second round of the LPGA SemGroup Championship.

Creamer's effort, which included three birdies and three bogeys, gave her a one-under total of 141 and left her the only player under par in the 1.8 million-dollar tournament.

South Korean Ji Young Oh carded a one-over 72 for second place on even par 142. Leta Lindley (72) and Brittany Lang (71) were a further shot back.

World No.1 Lorena Ochoa, seeking to match an LPGA record with a fifth win in as many starts, was six adrift on 147 after a second-round 74.

The Mexican star's round included three bogeys with - astonishingly - no birdies, and left her tied for 21st.

While Ochoa was hoping the windy weather would calm down for the weekend, Creamer was happy with the tough conditions.

"The harder it is, the better I play, the more confidence I have out there," she said. "If it stops blowing, we're just going to have to make more birdies.

Creamer said she was pleased with her game, although she didn't feel she hit it as well as she had on Thursday.

She followed her first birdie of the day at the third with a bogey at the par-four fourth, where she hit a three-wood over the green, then chipped back over the green. She putted up from off the green to eight feet, but missed her par attempt.

"I definitely should have bumped it into the hill with the line that I had," she said of the chip. "But I hit the middle of the ball, played it more like, I guess, a bunker shot. That was just the wrong club. You know, the wrong club, bad chip."

She pulled back shots with birdies at 11 and 14, but bogeyed 16 and 18.

Creamer said Friday's winds were a big change from those players faced on Thursday.

"Totally different direction," she said. "Shots on the par-threes were complete opposite. It's kind of fun, to have it switched about. You have to go and think different tee shots."

Oh notched two birdies and three bogeys in her round. She too said the wind had changed dramatically, but "I bogeyed the same holes that I bogeyed yesterday, so I was a little bit shaken up. And it was a little more difficult."

For Ochoa, it was the first time since the 2006 Women's British Open that she has had two over-par rounds in a tournament, and her first round in more than two years in which she failed to notch a birdie.

"I don't feel bad," she said. "It's hard to hit the ball close to the hole. I didn't give myself enough birdie chances."

Ochoa said the course offered no real opportunities to attack.

"I know I need to make birdies to catch up, but at the same time, it's impossible," she said. "I'm going to be happy, not disappointed. I'm not too far from the leaders, and we have two days to go."

Creamer wasn't surprised Ochoa - who is seeking to join Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam with a fifth win in as many starts - was hoping for calmer conditions at the weekend.

"Because she wants to go out and make as many birdies as she can," Creamer said.

Lindley said she wouldn't be surprised to see the new dominant player in women's golf make a move.

"She knows how to go low which is evident from all the rounds of golf she has played this year," Lindley said. "You can never count out Lorena."