McCarron leads Invensys Classic

LAS VEGAS -- The last time Scott McCarron won a golf tournament, he shot a 1-over 73 to hold on in the cold and wind at the BellSouth Classic.

A score like that on today may not even get him in the top 10 at the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas.

McCarron shot a 9-under 63 Saturday in ideal conditions that left the TPC at Summerlin course defenseless to take a three-shot lead over Tom Lehman.

He knows he may need another 63 to hold the lead in the final round.

"No lead is comfortable," McCarron said. "You have got to make birdies out here. These guys are going to be shooting low scores tomorrow."

No one was lower Saturday than McCarron, who overtook Lehman on the back nine to open a three-shot lead. Two more shots back are Rory Sabbatini, third-round leader Craig Parry and Bob Estes.

McCarron had a tap-in birdie on the first hole and made eight more against nine pars to get to 26 under on an inviting course that features reachable par-5s, perfect fairways and soft greens.

"I'm going to go out there shooting for birdies," McCarron said. "In Atlanta, I played defensively to win. I can't do that here."

His closest pursuer agreed.

"This is the kind of course where you can make a lot of birdies and go low," Lehman said.

The TransamericaNAPA, Calif -- John Mahaffey broke the course record with a 10-under-par 62 to share the second-round lead in The Transamerica.

Mahaffey birdied the first seven holes and finished with 11 birdies as he moved into a three-way tie with Sammy Rachels and Allen Doyle at the Senior PGA Tour event.

Mahaffey's two-round total of 11-under 133 is tied with first-day leader Doyle and Rachels, who tied the previous course record of 63, which was shared by Asao Aoki (1994), Bob Charles (1992) and Dale Douglass (1991).

Under hot and windless conditions -- in marked contrast to the wind that plagued the golfers on Friday -- 35 golfers shot rounds in the 60s, including a 64 by Ted Goin, who is in fourth place at 134.

Blustery conditions led to just six rounds in the 60s on Friday. The field was 146 over par on Friday, but 150 under on Saturday.

LPGA Qualifying

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Suzanne Strudwick of England shot an even-par 72 for a three-stroke victory in the LPGA Qualifying tournament to earn a 2002 tour card.

Strudwick, a nine-year LPGA Tour veteran, finished at 281 and earned $6,000. She had a five-stroke lead to start the final round, and pulled her game together despite three bogeys on the front nine.

World Match Play

VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Two-time World Match Play champion Ian Woosnam beat defending champion Lee Westwood and advanced to the finals of the tournament against Padraig Harrington.

Woosnam, who won the event in 1987 and 1990, beat Westwood 10 and 9 in the semifinals.

Harrington had to overcome stiff early resistance from Sam Torrance to beat his Ryder Cup captain 4 and 3 in the other semifinal.

-- From wire reports