Sorenstam and Ochoa lead

England’s Karen Stupples had a mixed bag of numbers but they added up to a 71 which put her just three shots behind joint leaders Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa at the halfway stage of the Scandinavian TPC.

Stupples matched playing partner Sorenstam’s outward 34 after four birdies and a bogey, but looked to be slipping back when she dropped shots at the 10th and 13th and took a double-bogey at the long 14th.

But she showed great fighting spirit to hit back with three birdies in the final four holes at Bro-Balsta near Stockholm.

The Kent golfer said afterwards: “You just have to put things like the 14th behind you.

“I was delighted with the way I got back into it. Now I’m looking forward to the weekend – I’m only three back.”

Out early, Ochoa set a high target of nine under par 137 after packing eight birdies and an eagle into a course record seven under par 65.

Sorenstam, the defending champion and tournament host, followed her opening 66 with a tamer 71 over her home course – she was out in three under 34, but needed 37 shots to come home.

The world’s top two players led by a shot from France’s Gwladys Nocera, who had a 69, and by two from Swede Helen Alfredsson (70), with Stupples in joint fifth on six under alongside Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (69).