SOUTH Korea's Hong Jin Joo and American Diana D'Alessio shared a three-shot lead on seven-under par at the halfway stage of the Evian Masters on Friday in Evians-les-Bains, France.

But two-time former winner Annika Sorenstam was among the closest challengers.

Hong, who was a shock winner of the LPGA tournament in South Korea at the end of last year, had a 70, while D'Alessio, who has never won in seven years on the Tour, shot a flawless 68.

They led by three from Sorenstam (69), South Korea's Jang Jeong (71) and American Brittany Lincicome (74).

Michelle Wie continued her comeback bid from her wrist injury with a 71 - her first sub-par score in a tournament since the final round 68 that helped her finish joint-second here last year.

She was on level par and still within striking distance, seven shots off the pace.

D'Alessio had four birdies, but she missed from four feet for a birdie at the last for the outright lead, and admitted she would be nervous playing in the final group tomorrow.

'I don't know how I'm going to eat or sleep,' said the 32-year-old, who smokes on the course to try and calm her nerves.

'Tomorrow, I'm just going to try and play my own game and not look at the leaderboards.'

Sorenstam, the winner in 2000 and 2002, has only played seven tournaments this year due to back and neck injuries, and has lost her world No. 1 ranking to Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, who was on two-under after a 70.

But the Swede showed her class and determination with a four-birdie round.

'It has been very frustrating, but this is a little bit better,' said the 36-year-old, who is bidding to become the first three-time winner.

'Slowly but surely, I feel I am getting back there. I would say my game is about 85 per cent, but there were times when it was 100 per cent today.'

For Wie, a run of three birdies in a row helped recall memories of finishing runner-up here for the past two years, although she did show her inconsistency by running up a double-bogey following a poor tee-shot at the par-five seventh.

The Hawaiian has had six top-fives in the Majors in her young career, but she arrived in France having only played four tournaments this year, and having failed to complete 72 holes in three of them.

'I'm very happy,' said the youngster, who had a recurrence of the wrist problem and pulled out of the US Open just four weeks ago when she stood 17-over par after just 27 holes.

'My first sub-par score this year feels like a big breakthrough and it's good to get that out of the system.

'I had one stupid hole but the birdie run gave me a lot of confidence. All I need now is to hole a few more putts and I'll be right back in there.'

Defending champion Karrie Webb was on two-under par after a 72, while the best round of the day was a 67 from Japan's Momoka Ueda that put the 21-year-old tied for sixth on three-under. -- AFP.