Gallery favorite Gore opens two-shot lead

Get out the beer and chips; pull up the recliner. Jason Gore, the everyman’s version of a PGA Tour pro, is playing in the final group on Sunday again.

Only this time, Gore doesn’t want to play like someone pulled out of the grandstands, given a visor and a golf glove and told to compete against some of the world’s best players for a championship.

Gore, whose rags-to-riches-to-rags odyssey and spectator-like physique instantly made him a fan favorite at the U.S. Open, shot a 5-under-par 67 Saturday to open a two-shot lead over a group of five after three rounds of the 84 Lumber Classic in Farmington, Pa.

“It’s where you want to be,” Gore said of being in the lead. “It’s only what you make of it, and it’s still golf tomorrow. It should be exciting.”

Gore got off to a great start by chipping in from 63 feet for an eagle 2 at the 371-yard, par-4 first, and had six birdies to offset three bogeys for his second round in the 60s in three days. He had an opening-round 65 on Thursday and an even-par 72 Friday.

Gore leads a group of relative no-names, including Craig Barlow, who is 108th on the money list but was tied with Gore at 12 under before taking a double-bogey 7 at No. 16. His pitch from a pot bunker alongside the green squirted into a deep hillside rough.

“I have to eliminate a few mistakes; to win out here, you can’t have mistakes,” said Barlow, who had a third-round 70. “I’ve had a double bogey every day, and I’m still, what, tied for second?”

Also at 10-under 206 are Tag Ridings (67), Carlos Franco (68), Rod Pampling (69) and Carl Pettersson (70).

Three back are Justin Leonard (70) and Chris DiMarco (67) – hey, finally some recognizable names – and Cameron Beckman (73).

World Match Play

U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell routed top-seeded Retief Goosen 7 and 6 to advance to the final of the World Match Play Championship in Virginia Water, England.

Campbell will play for the title today against 11th-seeded Paul McGinley of Ireland, who defeated second-seeded Angel Cabrera of Argentina 4 and 3.

Goosen did not have a birdie in the first 11 holes as his bid for the first prize of $1.8 million – the biggest in golf – vanished. After two matches, he had been a combined 17 under after playing 54 holes. Campbell was 2 under after 73.

LPGA Tour

Defending champion Annika Sorenstam shot a 3-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Michelle Ellis and Maria Hjorth after three rounds of the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic in Broken Arrow, Okla.

Sorenstam made back-to-back birdies at Nos. 14-15 to break a three-way tie for the lead at Cedar Ridge Country Club and moved into a position to win the event for the third time. She also won the tournament at Tulsa Country Club in 2002.

Tied with Hjorth and Karine Icher, Sorenstam hit the pin with her chip for eagle at the 14th and tapped in for birdie.

Icher matched Sorenstam with a 6-foot birdie putt, and both moved to 7 under. Sorenstam then hit a 5-iron to 21 feet at the par-3 15th and made the putt to take the lead.

Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, shot a 71 for a 144 total and made the cut.

Champions Tour

Bob Gilder shot a 5-under 67 to maintain a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Constellation Energy Classic in Hunt Valley, Md.

Gilder birdied the par-4 18th to reach a tournament-record, 13-under 131 after 36 holes at Hayfields Country Club.

D.A. Weibring and Morris Hatalsky are tied for second at 11 under.