Sorenstam leads Michelob Ultra Open by three after outdueling Ochoa

5/11/2008

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Rarely spectacular but remarkable for her consistency,Annika Sorenstam shot her third consecutive nearly mistake-free round Saturday, and her 2-under 69 signaled that she may be ready to give Lorena Ochoa a run for No. 1 again

The eight-time player of the year, plagued by injuries in a winless 2007, gave Ochoa and Jeong Jang up-close evidence that the maddeningly steady game that made her the top female player in the world for so long is coming back, and probably sooner rather than later.

Hitting fairways and greens consistently and scrambling when necessary with radar-like wedge play, Sorenstam stretched her bogey-free string to 53 holes before hooking her drive into the water on No. 18. Even then, she drove again, hit a 6-iron within 8 feet and made the putt, the bogey leaving her with a three-shot lead over Jang.

Ochoa lost her putting stroke and fell back quickly. Her string of four bogeys in five holes ended just before Sorenstam made two long putts, both for birdie, to open an eight-shot lead over the woman who has taken her place at the top of the sport.

Ochoa holed a long birdie putt on the first hole and was 2 under through seven holes, but 5 over after that, finishing with a 74 to drop into a tie for 10th.

It was almost as if Sorenstam was answering the whispers of those who felt compelled to note that her two victories this year came in events that Ochoa had not chosen to play.

On Sunday, the best female golfers in the world will again be chasing Sorenstam, who said she knows the road ahead is a long one ahead, but regaining the top ranking is a goal.

Leaderboard –Round 3:

1.  Annika Sorenstam             64 66 69 199 -14
2.  Jeong Jang                       67 66 69 202 -11
3.  Christina Kim                    70 67 66 203 -10
4.  Maria Hjorth                      68 71 66 205 - 8
5.  Jee Young Lee                  68 71 67 206 - 7
     Inbee Park                       67 72 67 206 - 7
     Candie Kung                     66 74 66 206 - 7
     Ji Young Oh                      69 69 68 206 - 7
     Karen Stupples                  67 69 70 206 - 7
10. Laura Diaz                        70 69 68 207 - 6
     Stacy Prammanasudh         66 72 69 207 - 6
     Song-Hee Kim                   66 71 70 207 - 6
     Suzann Pettersen               71 71 65 207 - 6
     Jimin Kang                        67 69 71 207 - 6
     Lorena Ochoa                    65 68 74 207 - 6

Source: AP, LPGA Tour