Seven-birdie 66 boosts Hull to two-shot edge in HSBC Women´s Champions

3/7/2009

Australia's Katherine Hull had seven birdies en route to a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over Angela Stanford after the third round of the HSBC Women's Champions

Hull, who won the Australian Ladies Masters last month, had an 11-under 205 total on the Tanah Merah Country Club, where play was suspended for 2 hours, 19 minutes because of lighting and heavy rain.

Sun Young Yoo (68) was a stroke back of Stanford and a shot ahead of Korean compatriot Mi Hyun Kim (70), with second round co-leader American Paula Creamer (72) five strokes off the lead.

Creamer was disappointed with her round.

Stanford shot a bogey-free 66 to move into position for her fourth victory in her last nine starts. The sixth-ranked Texan won the season-opening SBS Open in Hawaii after closing last season with two victories in her final six events. In addition to the three wins, she has five other top-seven finishes in her last eight tournaments.

Hull could win her second LPGA Tour event Sunday. She won the Canadian Women's Open last summer.

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, the defending champion coming off her 25th LPGA Tour victory last week in Thailand, shot a 69 to top a group six shots off the lead. Hall of Famer Juli Inkster (69), fifth-ranked Jiyai Shin (66), Amy Yang (69) and Jane Park also were 5 under.

Leaderboard – Round 3:

1. Katherine Hull                    AUS  70 69 66 205 -11
2. Angela Stanford                 USA  69 72 66 207 - 9
3. Sun Young Yoo                  KOR  71 69 68 208 - 8
4. Mi Hyun Kim                      KOR  71 68 70 209 - 7
5. Paula Creamer                   USA  67 71 72 210 - 6
6. Jiyai Shin                          KOR  72 73 66 211 - 5
    Lorena Ochoa                    MEX  69 83 69 211 - 5
    Juli Inkster                        USA  72 70 69 211 - 5
    Amy Yang                         KOR  73 69 69 211 - 5
    Jane Park                          USA  67 76 69 211 - 5

Source: AP, LPGA