Singh turns showdown into sham, leads by five

When the world’s top two golfers were introduced on the first tee, a packed gallery politely clapped for Vijay Singh and roared for Tiger Woods.

By the time they walked to the Buick Open’s fifth tee at Grand Blanc, Mich., fired-up fans expecting to catch a glimpse of a showdown gasped as the standard bearer showed Singh’s one-stroke lead had turned into a seven-shot bulge over Woods.

Singh birdied the first three holes Saturday while Woods bogeyed Nos. 2-4.

Singh matched the tournament record of 7 under on the front nine and closed with a 63, matching the event’s 54-hole record of 22-under-par 194.

If Singh holds onto his five-shot lead he’ll be the first three-time champion at the Buick Open, a tournament that started in 1958, and the first to repeat since Tony Lema in 1965.

Also, if Singh shoots 67 or better today – for the sixth straight time at Warwick Hills – he will break Robert Wrenn’s tournament mark of 26 under, set in 1987.

As great as Singh’s round was, it could’ve been better if his putting was more consistent. He missed short putts for birdie at Nos. 7 and 14 and another for par at the 16th. It still was good enough, however, to tie Kenny Perry’s 54-hole tournament record set in 2001.

Woods is the top-ranked player in the world, and Singh is No. 2. They have alternated positions atop the world ranking for nearly a year.

Woods finished 2 under for the round and is 14 under for the tournament, eight shots behind Singh.

Zach Johnson (65) is at 17 under, alone in second place and will be paired with Singh. Chris DiMarco (66) will begin the final round seven shots back.

Champions Tour

Loren Roberts and Craig Stadler each hit a spectacular iron shot – and enough other good shots to share the lead through the third round of the U.S. Senior Open at Kettering, Ohio.

Roberts holed a sand wedge from 70 yards on the 10th hole for eagle to take control early in the round.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it came off dead perfect,” Roberts said of his shot.

Stadler finally caught up with a 7-iron out of a bunker at the closing hole that led to a tying birdie. He had pulled his drive into the bunker left of the fairway on the dogleg par-4, but was able to muscle a shot out of the sand from 153 yards that ended up just 4 feet from the pin. He made the birdie putt to cap a 2-under 69.

Roberts also shot a 69 to share the top spot at 11-under 202.

The co-leaders were three shots clear of the field, with Raymond Floyd – winner of the last major event at NCR Country Club, the 1969 PGA Championship – at 205 along with D.A. Weibring.

Floyd fired a 69 that included four birdies and two bogeys, while Weibring had a 68.

LPGA

Jeong Jang has played with Annika Sorenstam before – but never with this much at stake.

The South Korean will be paired with Sorenstam for the final round of the Women’s British Open today at Southport, England, as she tries to protect a five-stroke lead and win the first tournament of her six-year LPGA career.

“I am going to be nervous but not because of being with Annika, just being the leader,” said Jang, who shot a 3-under 69 to move to 13-under 203 for the tournament at Royal Birkdale.

“I will think about my golf, not think about Annika.”

Sorenstam will be trying for her third major title of the year and 10th overall. She made sure of that by shooting a third-round 66 and pulling into a tie for second with Cristie Kerr (69) at 8 under.

Behind Sorenstam and Kerr are five players at 7-under 209. One of them is Michelle Wie, the 15-year-old amateur who is playing her last tournament before returning to high school.

She posted her second 67 in a row after opening with a 75 in the wind and rain Thursday.