Rosales Leads, but Wie Stays in the Picture

Michelle Wie shot a second consecutive two-under-par 70 Friday to trail leader Jennifer Rosales by five strokes heading into the final round of the LPGA Tour’s season-opening SBS Open at Kahuku, Hawaii.

Wie, 15, playing on her home island of Oahu, was tied for fifth at four-under 140 and was one of the early starters who were forced to deal with intermittent showers and ocean winds whipping up to 20 mph.

Wie is trying to supplant Marlene Hagge as the youngest golfer to win an LPGA event. Hagge was 18 when she won the 1952 Sarasota Open.

“Of course if [Rosales] makes a lot of birdies, it’s going to be tough to catch her, but if I can make a lot of birdies early on, who knows what can happen?” Wie said.

Rosales, the first-round leader, had four bogeys and seven birdies in a wild round of 69 that moved her to nine-under 135. She managed to keep the lead with four birdies in the last five holes.

Wie’s playing partner, Reilley Rankin, had a 66 and was second at 137.

Rosales, whose first LPGA victory came at last year’s Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, said she struggled reading the tricky winds.

“The whole day I was in between clubs and I couldn’t figure it out,” she said.

But she quickly found the range to set up her late birdie run.

Cristie Kerr (68) was three strokes off the pace at 138, and LPGA veteran Rosie Jones shot a second-round 69 and was at 139.

Wie made the cut for the 10th consecutive time in an LPGA tournament. She has missed the cut only four times in 18 overall events, including three as a 12-year-old in 2002.

“Of course I wanted to be closer, but the way the winds are blowing, I think I posted a good score,” Wie said.

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Mark Calcavecchia made a 50-foot eagle putt on the next-to-last hole and used the two-shot swing to vault over Billy Mayfair and into the lead of the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

He is at 15-under 129 after a 65.

“I knew I was hitting it decent enough to make some birdies out here,” he said.

Mayfair shot a 67 early in the round and sat atop the leaderboard most of the day. That was before Calcavecchia, who started on the back nine, capped a five-birdie round with his eagle on No. 8.

Gavin Coles, Aussie Geoff Ogilvy and Lucas Glover were two shots off the pace after shooting 65, 66 and 67, respectively.

David Duval, who shot a 69 in the opening round, followed that with a 75 and missed the cut.

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The first round of the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am at Lutz, Fla., was suspended because of lightning and heavy rain.

Champions Tour rookie Tom McKnight and Don Reese were four under through 13 holes. John Harris was four under through 11 holes.

A morning thunderstorm pushed back tee times, and early starters had barely been on the TPC of Tampa Bay course for three hours when play was suspended. Only 40 of the 76 pros, paired with amateur partners for the first 36 holes, were able to begin the round before play was stopped.

Officials would like to finish the first round and get in at least half of the second today, when the forecast calls for a slight chance of rain.