Woods motors into solid position to win Buick Open

Tiger Woods closed in on his second straight victory Saturday, birdieing two of his last three holes for his third straight 6-under-par 66 and a two-stroke lead in the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Mich.

Robert Allenby, Lucas Glover and Scott Verplank were tied for second after 66s. Two-time defending champion Vijay Singh (68) was three strokes behind in a group of five.

If Woods wins, as he usually does when leading after three rounds, it will be his 50th PGA Tour victory and second at the Buick Open.

Champions Tour

Curtis Strange moved into position for his first Champions Tour victory, shooting a 6-under 66 in windy conditions to take a three-stroke lead over David Edwards in the Champions Tour’s 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn.

Strange, the two-time U.S. Open champion in his second season on the 50-and-older tour, had a 10-under 134 total on the TPC Twin Cities.

Women’s British Open

Two-time champion Sherri Steinhauer made a 50-foot eagle putt and shot a 6-under 66 for a three-stroke lead after the third round of the Women’s British Open in Lytham St. Annes, England. Steinhauer, who had an eagle and four birdies, finished at 7-under 209.

Tied for second were overnight leader Juli Inkster (74), Lorena Ochoa (65), 2000 British Open champion Sophie Gustafson (69) and 2004 winner Karen Stupples (70).

Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., shot a 75 and is at 4-over 220, tied with Michelle Wie. Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, is at 221 after a 70.

Mayfair fights cancer

Billy Mayfair, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, was diagnosed with testicular cancer earlier this week and had surgery in Arizona.