Creamer, Ochoa tied at Rancho Mirage

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif., March 30 (UPI) -- Lorena Ochoa and Paula Creamer are tied for the lead through 36 holes of the LPGA's Kraft Nabisco Championship at Rancho Mirage, Calif.

In Friday's second round of the tour's first major golf tournament of the year, Ochoa shot 3-under-par 69 while Creamer carded a 1-over 73.

The pair head into the third round at 4-under 140.

"I was really excited after shooting 32 on the front nine," said Ochoa, who can overtake Annika Sorenstam at the top of the rankings with a victory. "(But) I make a couple of mistakes that cost me two bogeys."

"The shorter putts didn't seem to break very well for me," Creamer said. "I kind of got confused out there."

Sorenstam followed her 3-over 75 Thursday with a 4-over 76 Friday, and is 11 shots back of the leaders.

First-round leader Shi Hyun Han (73) is tied for third at 3-under 141.