The 14-year tour veteran, and 13-time winner, is two rounds from a resounding victory after shooting a 6-under 66 to take a five-stroke lead at 10 under on the Locust Hill Country Club course. The 2007 US Women's Open Champion opened the day in a three-way tie for the lead before taking control by scrambling out of trouble several times to produce a bogey-free round.

She birdied four of her last five holes to pull away with the low score of the round, helped along the way by her chipping and near perfect putting.

Inbee Park, the 2008 US Women's Open champion, and Mika Miyazato were tied for second at 5 under after 70s.

Brittany Lincicome (69) and Amy Yang (67) were 4 under in a field that has only 17 players at below par in the tour's second major.

"I played awesome today," Kerr said. "I don't think anybody expected anybody to be in double digits after two days. But you know what, keep my head down and keep going." Kerr stayed patient while playing out of the rough, and took advantage when in range of the green. She holed a 23-footer for birdie on No. 17, then tapped on 18 for her final birdie in after hitting a 6-iron within a foot.

Park was impressed by Kerr's score, but wasn't prepared to concede anything.

"No, not at all. It's still two days of golf left out there," Park said. "Anything could happen on this golf course." Opening the week ranked fifth in the world, Kerr is proving serious about her objective in taking a run at top spot, which is currently held by Ai Miyazato — 3 over after rounds of 76 and 71.

As the top-ranked American, Kerr is also eager to show that the US contingent on the LPGA Tour can be competitive in the post-Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam era.

Only three Americans have won the past 13 majors and only five of the past 33 tour events — including Kerr winning the State Farm Classic two weeks ago and the Michelob Ultra Open in May 2009.

"I think it's very important," she said, noting the cheers she's getting from the large galleries at Locust Hill."I can feel they want an American winner just in the way they're cheering for me."  Lincicome, from Florida, agreed with Kerr, but with one exception.

"It is important for Americans to win majors," Lincicome said. "Hopefully, Cristie Kerr is not running away with it, so I can have a chance." The cut was at 4-over 148, knocking out several notables, including Se Ri Pak (10 over) and Pat Hurst (11 over) Jiyai Shin, the No. 2 player in the world, was 2 under after rounds of 72 and 70 in her first tournament since having an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago.

Michelle Wie was 2 over, following an opening 72 with a 74.

Sun and a light breeze made for good conditions at the 6,506-yard course a day after a heavy downpour briefly delayed play. With thunderstorms in the forecast for mid-Saturday, officials have taken efforts to ensure the third round will be completed.

So far, very little has been able to hold off Kerr's magnificent run. In two rounds, she has made just one bogey. She has been particularly sharp on the back nine, which she has played a combined 8-under 66.

It's a performance that has Kerr brimming with confidence after a two-round score that was three shots off the LPGA Championship record of 131 set by Karrie Webb in 2001.

«I feel like I deserve to be happy. I deserve to be confident,» Kerr said. «There's no reason to play with fear any more.» Kerr showed little fear Friday by putting together a solid score despite hitting only five of 14 fairways.

On No. 11, she two-putted for a par 5 from 30 feet after hitting her tee shot into the right rough, and barely getting her second shot to carry a fairway creek, which left her 200 yards from the green.

Kerr had a bigger adventure on No. 16, when she pulled her tee shot into a tree along the left side of the fairway.

She recovered by punching a perfect shot from 135 yards out through an opening and bouncing it onto the green, where she two-putted for par from 20 feet.