Sorenstam Facing Big-Lead Pressure

Golf

Annika Sorenstam need only look back as far as Greg Norman in April’s Masters to find the dangers of taking a big lead into the final round of a major championship.

Last year, Sorenstam was able to sneak up on the field and win the U.S. Women’s Open. This time she is the marked woman, put in a very Normanlike situation. The tournament is hers to win - or lose.

Sorenstam’s 69 on Saturday at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C., put the 25-year-old Swede at 4-under-par 206 for 54 holes, three strokes ahead of Brandie Burton and four in front of Jane Geddes.

“Fortunately, this is not a golf course that someone can kill,” Sorenstam said. “Someone has to play well and I have to play badly tomorrow (to lose),” she said.

That was pretty much the same scenario facing Norman in April at Augusta National.

“Nothing is safe,” Pat Bradley said after shooting a 67 to move within five strokes of the lead. “I don’t see Annika backing down really. But with five or six people right behind her it might get her attention if someone makes a move.”

No one who follows golf will forget Norman taking a seemingly insurmountable six-stroke lead into the final round of the Masters only to finish five strokes behind winner Nick Faldo.

And there are enough big names around to put pressure on Sorenstam to make today at the U.S. Open the kind of tension test it is meant to be.

Bradley was at 1-over-par 211 along with Tammie Green after a strong 67, matching Sorenstam’s round Friday as the lowest of the tournament.

Laura Davies, whose length and solid short game makes her always a threat to put up a very low score, was six back with four others after shooting a 70.

PGA

Tom Watson, conjuring up memories of past heroics at Pebble Beach, Turnberry and Augusta, charged to a 6-under 66 to hold off Ernie Els for a one-stroke lead through three rounds of the Memorial Tournament at Dublin, Ohio.

Not since 1987 has Watson won a tournament on U.S. soil. But relying on his usual deft touch around the greens and a confident putting stroke, Watson put himself in position to break that 141-tournament drought.

His 66, following rounds of 70 and 68 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, left him at 12-under 204.

Els - at 26, 20 years younger than Watson - shot a 68, but lost his share of the lead when he flew the green at the par-3 16th and missed a long putt for par.

John Huston, who broke the course record with a 61 in the second round, shot a 71 to stand at 10-under 206. Joining him was Paul Stankowski, winner of the BellSouth Classic in April, who shot a 67.

Senior

Bruce Summerhays shot a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke lead over John Bland after two rounds of the Bruno’s Memorial Classic at Birmingham, Ala.

Summerhays and Bland began the round as co-leaders after shooting 5-under 67s Friday.

NCAA

Tiger Woods shot an 80-over-par 80, but held on to win the NCAA golf championship in Ooltewah, Tenn., by four strokes.

Woods, from Stanford, had impeccable rounds of 69-67-69 before struggling Saturday on the 7,039-yard, par-72 Honors Course near Chattanooga. The three-under total of 285 was the only sub-par finish in the field and good enough for a four-shot victory over Rory Sabbatini of Arizona, who shot 75.

Arizona State held off UNLV by three shots to win the team championship.