St. Andrews, Scotland (AHN) - Lorena Ochoa owned the first round of the Women's British Open on Thursday. So far on Friday, the day has belonged to seven-time LPGA major winner Juli Inkster.

After shooting a 6-over 79 on Thursday during her first round at the historic St. Andrews course in Scotland, Inkster seemed destined to miss the cut and exit the LPGA's first trip to St. Andrews early.

But her round on Friday has catapulted her back into contention.

Inkster, 47, shot a 5-under 68, totaling three birdies and an eagle on the front nine to propel her to the second-best round in the tournament so far. She improved her score from the first round by 11 strokes.

"It is just a different golf course out there today," Inkster said. "I'm kind of hoping we get a little wind out there this afternoon."

The Women's British Open is the only LPGA major Inkster has not captured in her career. She's won the U.S. Women's Open (1999, 2002), the LPGA Championship (1999, 2000), the Kraft Nabisco (1984, 1989), the Du Maurier Classic (1984) and her best finish at the Women's British Open came last year when she finished fourth.

She holed birdies on the Par 3 first hole and Par 4 sixth, ninth and tenth holes. She also eagled the Par 5 fifth hole and logged just one bogey the entire round, on the Par 4 15th.

She sits in a tie for 26th at 1-over par, though most of the rest of the field is still playing.

"You can drive it anywhere and be conservative, but in order to make some birdies you have to drive it in the right spot, and today I did that," she said.

Inkster wasn't the only big named player to have a big improvement in the second round. Last year's winner of the event, Sherri Steinhauer, moved to 3-under after shooting a 71 on Friday. She sits in a fifth place tie with another stern challenger, Annika Sorenstam. Sorenstam shot a 71 as well and also sits at 3-under.

Sorenstam had four birdies, but was leveled off with her bogeys on No.s 9 and 12.

"I thought I hit the ball beautifully today and had a lot of chances," Sorenstam said. "Those two would have been nice, but otherwise I was playing to my game plan."

Ochoa is still the leader though she's only through 12 holes so far. She has shot an even par thus far in her round and leads the second place contender Wendy Ward by just a stroke.

Ward shot a 3-under 70 on Friday to pull within a stroke. Louise Friberg is in third and through eight holes on Friday she is at 4-under par for the tournament.

After shooting an even par 73 on Thursday, Michelle Wie has run into some trouble on Friday. Wie, 17, is at 4-over par through 12 holes on Friday. If she finishes at her current pace, she would miss the cut by a stroke.