Sabbatini leads at Wachovia

Rory Sabbatini holed out for eagle from the first fairway and picked up more ground with a birdie on the final hole Saturday at the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, N.C., giving him a share of the course record with an 8-under-par 64 and a final pairing he wanted with Tiger Woods.

Sabbatini, Vijay Singh and Arron Oberholser all made eagle from the fairway, and players jockeyed for position along the back nine with an array of birdies that brought Quail Hollow to life on a gray afternoon of light rain.

There was one more comparison worthy of the Masters – Woods took bogey on his final two holes and had to settle for a 68.

But he wasn’t alone.

Phil Mickelson challenged for the lead until a peculiar decision to hit a hybrid from thick grass on the slope above a creek, hitting into the water to take double bogey on the 18th. Oberholser was tied for the lead until his fairway bunker shot found the creek on the 18th, and he finished with a double bogey.

Singh nearly went into the creek, then rolled up his pants to his knees to stand in the water and play out of the hazard. He nearly escaped with par, but his 45-foot putt caught the left edge of the cup.

When it ended in darkness brought on by a two-hour delay, it left thousands of fans eager to return for the final round.

Sabbatini was at 11-under 205 and will be in the final group with Woods, who saved bogey from the creek and was one shot behind.

The spunky South African won at Riviera two years ago and heard murmurs that it wasn’t that great of a victory because Woods had withdrawn on the weekend with the flu.

“He’s here this week – best opportunity I’ve had to put any of that criticism or doubt aside,” Sabbatini said.

Singh roared to life with a birdie-birdie-eagle start to his back nine, and wound up with a 69 and was at 207. He will be paired with Oberholser, who had a 69.

Mickelson, who chipped in for eagle on the par-5 fifth, was still in the hunt after a 68 put him four shots behind.

Champions Tour

Scott Hoch moved into position for his first tour victory, shooting a 6-under 66 in Lakeway, Texas, to take a three-stroke lead over D.A. Weibring into the final round of the FedEx Kinko’s Classic.

Hoch, the only player in the field without a bogey in the first two days, had an 11-under 133 total on The Hills Country Club course.

Weibring was 8 under after his second straight 68. Hale Irwin (68) and first-round leader Leonard Thompson (73) were 7 under, Loren Roberts (72) and Tom Purtzer (67) followed at 6 under, and Massy Kuramoto (73) was 5 under.

LPGA

Lorena Ochoa’s charge fizzled in the second round of the SemGroup Championship at Broken Arrow, Okla.

Ochoa got off to an eagle-birdie start, but a double bogey at No. 15 spoiled her round and left the top-ranked Mexican star three strokes behind leaders Stephanie Louden, Nicole Castrale, Karin Sjodin and Reilley Rankin.

Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum shot 74 and missed the cut at 7-over 149.

The four leaders, tied at 4-under 138, are all seeking their first tour win.