South Korea’s Kang closing in on first career LPGA win

South Korea’s Soo-Yun Kang moved into position for her first victory in three full seasons on the LPGA Tour, shooting a 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Safeway Classic in Portland.

Kang, a co-leader with Sung Ah Yim after a first-round 64, has a 12-under 132 total. Gloria Park and British Open winner Jeong Jang were 9 under.

“I missed a few putts but I feel so great,” Kang said as she came off the sunsplashed course at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

Kang was in nearly the same place at the other Safeway – the Safeway International back in March. Kang was a shot back of Lorena Ochoa going into the final round.

Kang tied for third with Juli Inkster at Superstition Mountain Country Club for her best result of the season. Annika Sorenstam won it in a playoff with Ochoa.

Wearing bright yellow pants and butterfly clips in her hair, Kang saved par on No. 18 with a well-placed chip out of a sand trap. She eagled the par-4 15th hole, but bogeyed No. 17.

“I’m really satisfied about my golf today, and I’m really confident,” she said.

Because of scheduling conflicts, Sorenstam wasn’t among those playing the 6,327-yard course. She won the 2002 and 2003 tournaments.

Park also had a second-round 68 despite tendinitis and tennis elbow. With a 25-foot putt, Jang birdied her final hole, the par-4 ninth, to also finish with a 68.

“That was the first long putt today,” Jang said. “Good finish going into tomorrow.”

Aree Song, four strokes back with defending champion Hee-Won Han, gained briefly on Kang, but was done in by a double bogey on the par-4 14th hole, and a bogey on No. 17. Yim was in a group five shots back.

PGA

Tiger Woods had a two-shot lead at the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio, when storms approached and play was stopped for three hours. He returned to hit three full shots – none of them good – and fell into a tie for the lead when the third round was suspended.

Woods was tied with Kenny Perry at 7 under with three holes that he’ll have to finish this morning.

Perry is not through, either.

Thanks to two birdie putts from off the green, Perry was 6 under for his round and facing a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a chance to shoot 63.

Paul McGinley of Ireland was another shot back through 15 holes, while Stuart Appleby was 5 under through 16 holes. Jose Maria Olazabal (66) was the clubhouse leader at 4-under 206.

Champions Tour

Former PGA Tour and USGA administrator David Eger shot an 8-under 64 for a share of the second-round lead with Craig Stadler and Morris Hatalsky in the Boeing Greater Seattle Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash.

The leaders were at 12 under for the tournament, two strokes ahead of Brad Bryant and John Harris. Tom Kite, Jim Thorpe, D.A. Weibring and Don Pooley were 9 under.