Lowery cruises to the top of Chrysler leaderboard

US TOUR: American Steve Lowery fired a five-under-par 66 to take the early second-round lead in the Chrysler Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida, yesterday but world number two Vijay Singh was in danger of missing the cut for the second consecutive week.

Lowery, who is battling to maintain his place in the top 125 on the US PGA Tour money list to keep his card for next season, mixed six birdies with a single bogey at the Westin Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead course.

That put him on eight-under-par 134 to grab a three-shot lead over American Davis Love (69), Germany's Bernhard Langer (69) and Sweden's Carl Pettersson (68), with Retief Goosen next on 138 after a 71.

Singh, making his final title defence of the season, was poised to make an early exit for the second straight week after signing for a level-par 71.

After shooting a three-over 74 on Thursday, the Fijian was left with a score of three-over 145, one stroke above the projected cut of two-over.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Ireland's Des Smyth and England's Mark James are both three shots off the lead after the opening round of the Charles Schwab Championship in California.

They carded three-under-par 69s alongside Dana Quigley, Tom Watson, Craig Stadler, Gil Morgan, Tom Jenkins, Loren Roberts and D A Weibring.

Lonnie Nielsen claimed the first round lead after a bogey-free 66. He is one shot ahead of Jerry Pate and two clear of Bruce Fleisher. Mark McNulty opened with a one-over-par 72.

LPGA TOUR: South Korean Jee Young Lee shot a seven-under-par 65 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead over compatriot Jeong Jang and Sweden's Carin Koch after the first round of the LPGA Tour's CJ Nine Bridges Classic.

Annika Sorenstam shot a 75, bogeying four of her first 14 holes - two of them par fives - before making her lone birdie on the 15th. The Swede won the Samsung World Championship two weeks ago in California for her eighth LPGA Tour victory of the year.

Lee opened with pars at the 10th and 11th before birdieing seven of the next eight holes on the Club at Nine Bridges course in South Korea, including a 50-foot birdie on the par-three 17th and a 40-footer on the first.