Sorenstam moves ahead of pack in Women's Open

HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- A shrinking list of challengers all made costly bogeys on the 18th hole, allowing Annika Sorenstam to get out of the sweltering sun with a two-stroke lead Saturday in the U.S. Women's Open.

She says the tournament is far from over.

It sure doesn't look that way.

Prairie Dunes might have met its match in Sorenstam, who lived up to her reputation as the most dominant player in women's golf with her third straight round of par or better, this time a 1-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead over Jill McGill and Juli Inkster.

The 31-year-old Swede, who already has won half of her 12 tournaments this year including a major championship, hit every fairway and missed only three greens on a course that demands precision at every turn.

She seized control with a 12-foot birdie on the tough, 400-yard 16th hole after a booming drive that split the fairway and an 8-iron into the brick-hard green.

Sorenstam finished at 208, the only player still under par.

And she sounds like she's just warming up.

"I'm hitting the ball as well as I can," Sorenstam said. "I know my game is good enough to win, so I don't worry about everyone else."

She might not have to.

Sorenstam will be paired with McGill, best known for turning down an offer to pose nude for Playboy magazine. McGill has never won on the LPGA Tour, and Sunday will be her first time in the final group -- at the biggest championship in women's golf, no less.

She got herself in position to pose with the Open trophy by shooting a 69, which included a round-saving bogey after hitting into waist-high weeds on No. 13, and a disappointing bogey on the final hole that dropped her to 210.

PGA: With the leaderboard all knotted up, Robert Allenby made the biggest move of the day.

Allenby followed an eagle on the par-5 15th with a birdie, shooting a 7-under 65 and taking a two-stroke lead in the third round of the Western Open on Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow," said Allenby, the 2000 champion, who was at 15-under 201 after 54 holes. "I'm feeling pretty comfortable and confident with the way I'm playing."

Neal Lancaster, who hasn't won since 1994, was at 203 after a 5-under 67. Jerry Kelly and Bob Estes were at 204, and Davis Love III and second-round leader John Cook were another stroke back.

"I had a lot of opportunities to make birdie," Lancaster said. "I left three, four, five out there. But you've got to be happy when you make eight."

The leaderboard was locked up tight for most of the afternoon, with nobody making a significant move. Stuart Appleby got to 13-under on the 11th hole, then slipped back to the pack with a double-bogey two holes later.

SENIOR PGA: Walter Morgan tied the Senior PGA Tour record with an 11-under 60 -- just missing birdie putts on the final two holes -- and moved within two shots of co-leaders Tom Jenkins and Morris Hatalsky after two rounds of the Canada Senior Open in LaSalle, Ontario.

Morgan, 61, had 12 birdies in bettering the Essex Golf and Country Club record of 63 tied by Jenkins in Friday's opening round.

He matched Isao Oaki's senior tour record of 10-under 60 in the second round of the 1997 Emerald Coast Classic.

Morgan left an 8-foot birdie putt on the lip at No. 17 and then barely missed a 13-footer for birdie on the final hole.

PGA EUROPE: Michael Campbell birdied the last hole to take a one-stroke lead over Padraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie after three rounds of the European Open at Straffan, Ireland.

Campbell birdied the par-5 18th to give him a 2-under 70 and 7-under 209.

Lawrie and Harrington both carded 69s.

-- From wire reports