Defending champ Sorenstam moves into lead at LPGA event

Defending champion Annika Sorenstam shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday -- her third straight round in the 60s -- to take the third-round lead in the Florida's Natural Charity Championship in Stockbridge, Ga.

Shrugging off a couple of rain delays, Sorenstam finished up in the next-to-last group just as the sun was dipping below the trees at Eagle's Landing Country Club.

A year ago, Sorenstam had essentially wrapped up the tournament by the end of the third round, taking a 10-stroke lead to the final day and winning by the same margin. This time, she'll go to the final 18 holes with a one-stroke cushion over 36-hole leader Sung Ah Yim, who posted a bogey-free 68.

Still, it would be a major surprise if Sorenstam doesn't hang on to the lead.

The Swedish star is the only two-time winner of this event, and has a chance to become the first to win it back-to-back. Her closest challenger is a 22-year-old South Korean who's in her second year on the LPGA Tour and has never finished higher than third. No one else was within five shots of Sorenstam's 17-under 199 total.

The start of the third round was delayed 45 minutes by rain, and play was halted again for nearly 1 1/2 hours while thunderstorms moved through the area. The rest of the round was played in sunny conditions.

Shell Houston Open

Stuart Appleby remained in position to join Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only two-time winners on the PGA Tour this year, shooting a 3-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead in the Shell Houston Open in Humble, Texas.

Appleby had five birdies in his third straight sub-70 round at The Tournament Course at Redstone to finish at 14 under. The Australian bogeyed the difficult 18th.

Sweden's Mathias Gronberg birdied the 18th for a 67 and a 12-under total. Jerry Smith (69) and Bob Estes (66), who lives in Austin, were four shots back at 10 under.

They all made surges Saturday, but never overtook Appleby, who won the season-opening Mercedes Championships for the third straight year.

Appleby was one of 44 players who finished the rain-delayed second round Saturday morning. He parred his two remaining holes for a 67 to finish at 11 under.

Legends of Golf

Jay Haas shot a 4-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead over Craig Stadler in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah, Ga.

Haas had a 10-under 135 total on The Club at Savannah Harbor, a 7,087-yard island layout in the middle of the Savannah River. Stadler shot a 67.

Jerry Pate (69) was another stroke back at 7 under, and Bob Murphy (69) followed at 6 under. Hale Irwin (69), Peter Jacobsen (69) and Allen Doyle (68) were 5 under.

Haas made the turn at even par. Then he got on a roll, making birdies on four of the first five holes of his last nine. Haas got to 11 under with another birdie on the par-3 17th, but gave that one back with a bogey on No. 18.

-- The Associated Press