Lunke holds lead after three rounds of U.S. Women's Open

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. -- The pressure of the U.S. Women's Open was creeping up on Hilary Lunke from all sides Saturday.

She made two straight bogeys to fall into a share of the lead, and faced a downhill putt from 10 feet on the par-3 15th to save par. Even more intimidating was seeing Annika Sorenstam post a 4-under 67, leaving her only two strokes behind.

The 24-year-old with a master's degree from Stanford passed her first big test.

Lunke made the clutch par, then got a lucky bounce and made birdie on the next hole to shoot 3-under 68, giving her a one-stroke lead going over former Curtis Cup teammate Angela Stanford going into the final round at Pumpkin Ridge.

"That was the key point in the round," Lunke said. "I was thrilled to make the putt I did on 15, and thrilled to get the bounce I did on 16."

Stanford, coming off her first LPGA victory last week at the ShopRite Classic, finished with a birdie on 18th hole for a 69.

Sorenstam had only the second bogey-free round on the Witch Hollow course and moved up 22 places into a tie for third, just three strokes behind. She was tied with Jeong Jang (69), Mhari McKay (75) and 17-year-old Aree Song (68).

"I know how to react under these conditions," Sorenstam said. "I'm happy where I'm at. I would like to be in my shoes tomorrow, and play my golf."

Now comes the final exam for Lunke.

An LPGA Tour rookie who has never finished higher than 20th, Lunke goes after the biggest prize in women's golf by playing behind the best player in the world.

Lunke was at 5-under 211, and will try to become the first rookie since Se Ri Pak in the 1998 LPGA Championship to make her first victory a major.

She was one of only six players who remained under par on an overcast day that sent other players spiraling out of contention.

McKay lost her four-stroke lead after four holes and shot 75. Juli Inkster bogeyed four of the first five holes on the back nine and shot 74. Beth Daniel shot 77.

In their place were some untested players -- including a teenager -- and a familiar name in contention at a major championship.

Sorenstam kept making pars and the occasional birdie, and every time she saw a leaderboard, her name and number was closer to the top.

"I'm very pleased where I'm at," Sorenstam said. "I played some great golf today and I putted really well. So with that going in to tomorrow, I think I'm in great shape."

So is Lunke.

Not only does she have the lead, she gets to watch Sorenstam in the group ahead instead of having her alongside for what's sure to be a pressure-packed day. That's why she was rooting for Stanford to make par on the final hole, putting her in the final group.

"I've played with Annika once before in a U.S. Open and I couldn't breathe for the first seven holes," Lunke said. "It was a little relief to be paired with Angela."

Western Open

Tiger Woods shot a 7-under 65 to break the Western Open's 54-hole record at 18-under 198 and take a six-stroke lead into the final round.

Woods broke the record set by Sam Snead in 1949 and matched by six others. Woods has already matched the single-round scoring mark, shooting a 63 on Thursday.

Robert Allenby, who won the tournament in 2000, and Cliff Kresge were tied for second at 204. Rich Beem matched Woods' 65 and is seven strokes back.

European Open

Wales' Phillip Price shot a 5-under 67 to take a three-stroke lead over five players after the third round of the European Open.

Price was at 14-under 202 on The K Club's North Course, site of the 2006 Ryder Cup. Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke (70), Argentina's Angel Cabrera (66), Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin (67), Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty (68) and Scotland's Alastair Forsyth (69) were tied for second.

-- From staff reports