NEW ROCHELLE, New York (Ticker) - Kelli Kuehne has a two-stroke lead entering Saturday's third round of the LPGA Sybase Big Apple Classic.

Kuehne fired a bogey-free 6-under-par 65 on Friday.

Winless since her only career title at the 1999 Corning Classic, Kuehne had a round at the Wykagyl Country Club that included six birdies and moved her to 8-under 134 for the tournment. It is the first time she is leading an event since the third round of the 2000 Corning Classic.

"I love it. It's position I love to be in," Kuehne said. "I haven't been there in a while. I feel like I've put myself in really good position, and I love where I am.

"But my goal, I want to make the Solheim Cup. That's where my head is. I want to win, don't get me wrong, but the Solheim Cup is the overall picture of what I want to do."

Kuehne has some work to do if she wants to qualify for the United States' Solheim Cup team, which is chosen following the State Farm Classic on September 1.

For the 12-player squad, 10 players qualify for the team by earning points for wins and top-10 finishes over a two-year period, with two players selected by the captain. Kuehne, who has four top-10 finishes this season, is 12th in the standings.

Chris Johnson also shot a 65 on Friday and is alone in second place.

Four-time Player of the Year Annika Sorenstam, who already has won six times in 13 starts this season, is lurking and is three shots back. Korean Hee-Won Han also is three shots back.

Kuehne, who shot a 69 in the first round, was on fire early on Friday as she birdied her first three holes. Each birdie came with a putt from within 15 feet.

Kuehne built on the strong start, sprinkling in birdies on Nos. 8, 10 and 15 en route to her low round of the year.

Johnson, who has nine career titles but none since 1997, had seven birdies and a bogey on Friday.

Whereas Kuehne started with three straight birdies, Johnson concluded her round with a trio of birdies. On the par-5 18th, she two-putted from 40 feet.

While Kuehne and Johnson have had droughts winning on the tour, Sorenstam hoists trophies on almost a weekly basis and clearly is the game's dominant player.

Sorenstam rebounded from a sub-par opening round, and shot a bogey-free 66 on Friday. She has not played since the U.S. Open three weeks ago.

Han, the 2001 LPGA Rookie of the Year, also had a bogey-free round, shooting a 67.

It was a rough day for first-round co-leaders Kathryn Marshall and Minny Yeo, who opened with 68s. On Friday, Marshall had a 76 and was at 2-over 144, one shot better than the cut. Yeo carded an 80 and missed the cut.

Juli Inskter, who won the U.S. Open, carded a 72 and missed the cut at 5-over 147 overall.

Defending champion Rosie Jones shot a 67 on Friday, and is even-par for the tournament.

The par-71 Wykagyl Country Club is a 6,161-yard layout.

First prize is $142,500.