Webb shot a 66 and shared the lead at 13-under with Sophie Gustafson (65) after two rounds of the LPGA tournament.
Sorenstam also had a 66, her lowest score in six career rounds at RiverTowne Country Club, and moved from a tie for 60th Thursday into a tie for eighth.
Sorenstam was seven shots behind, but at least she still was part of the tournament that she hosts
- something that looked doubtful midway through Friday's round.
"I'm happy with the way I played," said Sorenstam, like Webb a member of the LPGA Hall of Fame. "I'm pleased. I made some putts and I could've gone lower."
Sorenstam has had her troubles playing as tournament host.
In 2007, the Ginn Tribute was her first event back from nearly two months with back and neck injuries. Predictably, she struggled and tied for 36th, closing in very un-Annika-like fashion with a 74-76 on the weekend.
This time, she dug herself a hole Thursday with a bogey and triple bogey in her first five holes and was seven shots off the lead.
The tournament lost the world's best player when Lorena Ochoa withdrew to be with her uncle, who died in Mexico, according to Ochoa's Web site.
Losing Sorenstam would have been an additional blow to the second-year event, and that seemed likely with Sorenstam stuck on even par and without a birdie through eight holes Friday.
Then Sorenstam turned on the game that's won her three LPGA Tour titles this season, and 72 in her career. She had birdies on six of her final 10 holes, a charge that had her focused on just one thing.
"I am thinking about playing well on the weekend," she said.
That's a must if Sorenstam hopes to catch Webb and Gustafson, who finished with a tournament record-low 131 through 36 holes.
Teresa Lu (67) and Inbee Park (68) were next, tied at 9-under. Suzann Pettersen (65), defending champ of next week's major, the LPGA Championship, was in a group of three another stroke behind.
Webb made eagle on the par-5 third hole for the second straight round and added six birdies to stay on top. It was her best best LPGA two-round total since starting the 2005 Wendy's Championship at 133.
