Rain forces Buick Open to skid to a halt, threatens today's pla

HARRISON, N.Y. -- Tiger Woods playfully slapped a ball at Shigeki Maruyama's feet and planted himself next to leader Briny Baird on the driving range.

That was as close as the eight-time major champion got to Baird on Saturday in the rain-suspended third round of the Buick Classic.

Winless since late March, Woods had a bogey and six pars in seven holes before play was suspended, leaving him six strokes behind Baird -- 11 under through six holes on the saturated Westchester Country Club course.

With more rain expected today on the course soaked by 8 inches of rain in the last three weeks, the event could finish on a Monday for the second time in three years.

Baird, the son of Champions Tour player Butch Baird, is trying to win for the first time in four seasons on the PGA Tour. He birdied the par-5 fifth hole to reach 11 under, putting him two strokes ahead of playing partner Skip Kendall.

LPGA Tour

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Rachel Teske, who beat Annika Sorenstam in a playoff last week, shot an even-par 72 to move to 7-under 209 while doubling her lead in the Rochester LPGA to four strokes.

Stephanie Louden, Brandie Burton and South Korea's Se Ri Pak and Soo-Yun Kang were tied for second at 213. Meg Mallon, the 2000 champion, was in a four-way tie at 214.

Champions Tour

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Ed Dougherty sank two birdie putts of more than 40 feet late in the round to take the lead and tie the Farmers Charity Classic record for lowest 36-hole score.

Dougherty carded a second consecutive 6-under-par 66 in the Champions Tour event and held a one-stroke lead over Hubert Green.

U.S. Women's Publinx

PALM COAST, Fla. -- Thirteen-year-old Michelle Wie moved within a victory of becoming the youngest golfer to win the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.

Wie won both quarterfinal and semifinal matches to earn a spot today in the 36-hole finale. She faces Virada Nirapathpongporn of Thailand.

If Wie wins today, she will break Catherine Cartwright's record as the youngest Public Links champion. Cartwright was 17 when she won the championship in 2000.

-- From wire reports