Lopez appears ready to make weekend run

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Is Nancy Lopez capable of one more hurrah?

Lopez moved into contention at the halfway point Friday in the Office Depot at Ibis Country Club, the LPGA's first tournament of the season.

After a 1-over par 73 Friday on the 6,277-yard Legend course, Lopez is in second at 143, trailing defending champion Karrie Webb by just three strokes.

''Sometimes you play better when your expectations aren't too high,'' said Lopez, who turned 43 earlier this month. ''I'm excited about the way I'm hitting the ball, but all I want to do the next two days is play my game, play the type of golf the next two days as I have the last two. Webb, the LPGA's top player last season, shot a 75, 10 strokes higher than her opening round, but still saw her lead increase from two strokes.

''I'd love to win,'' Lopez said. ''It would give me a great attitude, proving to myself that I've still got it.''

Lopez won nine times during her rookie season in 1978, including five in a row, and has 48 titles in her Hall of Fame career. But her last victory was in Atlanta in 1997. Last year, making only 13 starts, she failed to have a Top 10 finish for the first time.

''I'll probably play only 10-15 times this year,'' she said. ''But if she's in contention a few more times, you'll probably see more of her,'' said her husband, Ray Knight.