TURNBERRY, Scotland (Ticker) -- Carin Koch respectfully declined to disrobe for Playboy. She wouldn't even consider it at the British Open.

With temperatures in the 50s and wind swirling around Turnbery Golf Club, Koch on Friday grabbed a share of the lead with Candie Kung of Taiwan midway through the final major of the LPGA Tour season.

Koch avoided the horrendous morning weather -- which forced fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam to miss the cut -- and shot her second straight 4-under-par 68 to match Kung at 8-under 136.

"I putted really good for two days now," said Koch, who birdied four of the final six holes. "Not making everything, but just everything is close and everything is a good speed."

Kung, the first-round leader who opened with a 7-under 65 on her 21st birthday, had three birdies and three bogeys, including one at the 18th that forced her to settle for a 71 and a share of the second-round lead with Koch.

"Everything was in control, and then the wind started picking up on, I don't know, probably like our sixth hole or something," the rookie said. "And all of a sudden, it got really cold and I just lost control of my drives."

Sorenstam, the top female player in the world who won six of her first 14 starts this season, couldn't control anything. She followed a 73 with a 77 and missed the cut for the first time in 75 events.

"I'm disappointed," said Sorenstam, a three-time Player of the Year. "I just didn't play well at all."

Some of the big names are in contention. Australian star Karrie Webb had two eagles en route to a 71 and is tied for third at 7-under 137 with Tina Barrett, rookie Beth Bauer and Paula Marti of Spain.

"I feel so happy to get in at 1-under par," Webb said. "I fell pretty lucky to do that. Obviously, two eagles in the round helped that."

Elisabeth Esterl is seventh at 138, a stroke better than a group of nine players that includes defending champion Se Ri Pak of Korea.

Cold, windy conditions forced a number of high scores, including Juli Inkster's 78 that left her in a tie for 126th at 9-over 153. Britain's Laurie Davies bogeyed the 17th hole and double-bogeyed the 18th, missing the cut by three shots.

"We hit the really hard holes at the wrong time," said Davies, who called the disappointment 'massive.' "It was tough."

Koch didn't have such problems, working around her bogey at the 11th hole with birdies at the third, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th. She played in the afternoon, when the wind died down a bit.

"For me, it wasn't too bad," she said. "When I looked out the window this morning, I thought it was going to be worse. ... I had good warm clothes on, and it wasn't too bad."

Some fans wish she had no clothes at all. Koch won Playboy.com's "Babes of the LPGA" poll as the player fans most wanted to see in a nude pictorial, collecting 6,854 votes -- nearly a quarter of those cast -- earlier this year.

"I think it's fun," said Koch, a 31-year-old blonde who is nicknamed 'The Face' on tour because of her appearance. "It's been more attention than I was used to before."

Koch is looking to gain attention for her ability on the course, as well. In eight years on the LPGA Tour, she has won just once, claiming last year's Corning Classic.

Why hasn't she won more?

"I am trying to figure that out," she said. "I think, first of all, I haven't been good enough. I haven't been in contention enough, and I think maybe sometimes I am not aggressive enough on Sundays when I have been in a good position."

She putted well on Friday. After two-putting for birdie at the par-5 third hole and bogeying the par-3 11th, she made a 20-footer at the 13th and five-footers at the 14th and 17th around a tap-in at No. 16.

The nearly flawless round enabled Koch to grab the fifth 36-hole lead of her career and first in 18 months.

Asked what a title here would mean, Koch said, "Everything."

It may not be possible for Kung unless the weather improves. She suffered in Friday's cold and wind, especially from Nos. 6-11, which she played in 2-over with bogeys at the seventh and ninth.

"I couldn't even write," said Kung, who attended Southern California and still lives in the state. "My hands were shaking when I was writing on the yardage book. It was horrible."

Kung began the day with a one-stroke lead over Webb and quickly birdied the second hole and eagled the third. But she missed the green with her third shot at the par-5 seventh and pushed her drive at the par-4 ninth, bogeying both.

En route to her second bogey, Kung hit a young fan on the hand with her drive. Uninjured despite being carted away, the boy received balls from both Kung and her caddie.

"I felt so bad," said Kung, who rebounded with a birdie at the 12th hole.

Kung didn't feel so bad after bogeying the 18th. As a rookie, she was happy just to make the cut. She'll be even happier if the weather cooperates.

"I make the cut in a major tournament my first year," she said. "It will be fun tomorrow. I can't wait to see what the weather is going to be like tomorrow."