First the disclaimers.

Watch out for Cristie Kerr. Bogey-free 6 under par on Thursday. Top 10 in her past three events. She’s got 16 career wins and she’s tied for third just two strokes off the lead.

Inbee Park is right there, too, knotted with Kerr. She closed out her second round with birdies on four of her last five holes. The 2013 Rolex Player of the Year has more than enough time to make up a couple of strokes and take the lead in the third round of the LPGA Lotte Championship on Friday.

It’s also too early to count out Se Ri Pak and three other South Koreans bunched within three strokes of the top.

But even if it’s a day early, the irresistible story line here is Michelle Wie and Angela Stanford. That’s listing them in the order of how loud the cheers will be for their birdies today, because Ko Olina is home for Wie.

It’s Stanford first and Wie second if you go by who is leading headed into moving day — Stanford, leading the tourney a shot ahead of Wie, who is hoping to finally win a tournament at home. It’s also the proper order if you go by history.

That’s why this pairing is so interesting, even though it’s not the final round yet.

Five years ago, playing in her first event as a card-carrying LPGA Tour member, Wie held a three-stroke lead over Stanford with eight holes to go at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay.

Wie cracked with a double bogey on the back and Stanford pounced with three birdies to win it.

But, as we said, that was five years ago. Wie was 19 and Stanford was 31. Now they’re 24 and 36, and that makes a lot of difference in any sport, even and including golf. So does the fact that although Wie has not lived up to all the childhood prodigy hype (what human could?), she has a couple of LPGA wins to her credit.

Stanford never doubted her. After her victory on the North Shore in 2009, she praised Wie’s talent and insisted the wins would come for her with experience. 

Wie has the home-course advantage and Stanford is a bit nicked up with a forearm injury. But as Stanford’s shown many times, including at Turtle Bay in ’09, she is a stellar wind player.

Wie is obviously a more mature golfer than she was as a teenager — and even two years ago here at the inaugural Lotte, when a couple of tee shots onto the street led to a quadruple bogey and early exit.

The only meltdown she’s had to worry about on this trip home is not eating her shave ice quickly enough.

Wie played very well on the last two days here last year after barely making the cut. Maybe this is the time she puts it all together for an entire tournament at home and wins.

But she will have to take it from Stanford, the tough veteran — and both must hold off a pack at their heels that has got plenty of firepower.

It’s not match play and it’s not the final round yet, but it’s still going to be fun to watch.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. Read his blog at staradvertiser.com/quickreads Opens in a new tab.