Ward leads by 3 strokes

Wendy Ward had a scrambling 68 Friday and took a three-shot lead through two rounds of the Takefuji Classic at Las Vegas.

Ward, of Edwall, Wash., is looking for her fourth LPGA victory and first in nearly four years, and was at 11-under-par 133 heading into today’s final round.

Ward has credited a new outlook, thanks to her sports psychologist, for the improvement in her game.

Although Ward’s second round included a drive into trees and a bogey on her 10th hole of the day, the par-4, 400-yard, No. 1, her accurate iron play put her in close range for five birdies.

Ward said she spoke with sports psychologist Debbie Crews after shooting the first-round 65.

“She was tickled to death and she said, ‘Now you know what you have to do tomorrow,’ ” Ward said. “I said ‘Yes, more of the same.’ She said, ‘No, you have to turn it up a notch.’

“That was her way of saying I need to be even more aggressive, because there are plenty of people behind me that have that mentality — and more.”

Karrie Webb, who shared the opening-round lead with Ward, had a 71 and was tied for second with Moira Dunn, who is winless in 10 years on the tour. Dunn had a 5-under 67 in the second round.

Amateur In-Bee Park, a 16-year-old South Korean and Las Vegas high school junior, had a 71 that left her in a group four shots off the lead.

Former University of Arizona star Lorena Ochoa vaulted from a tie for 96th into a tie for fourth with a 9-under 63.

Also at 7-under with one round to go in the 54-hole tournament were Mi Hyun Kim and Nicole Perrot.

Defending champion Cristie Kerr and 2003 winner Candie Kung, both at 143, just survived the cut, with scores of 144 and higher out for the final round. Both were at 1-under 143, Kerr with a second-round 71 and Kung with a 70.

PGA Tour

Darren Clarke’s second straight 65 gave him a six-stroke lead at the MCI Classic in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and left him at 12-under 130, his career best for 36 holes and one shot off the tournament record set by Jack Nicklaus in 1975 and tied by Phil Mickelson three years ago.

Australian Peter Lonard had flirted with 59 late in his opening round before finishing with a career-best 62 to lead by two shots. He ballooned to a 74 and was tied for second with Patrick Sheehan, who had a second-round 70.

Thomas Levet, who put up a 64 in the first round, also had a 74.