Sat Apr 26 18:35:04 2008

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Sorenstam one ahead of Creamer at Stanford Pro-Am

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Aventura, FL (Sports Network) - Annika Sorenstam holed a clutch par save at the last hole to polish off her one-under 70 and take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Stanford International Pro-Am.

Sorenstam, the world No. 2, finished 54 holes at the Soffer Course at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club at seven-under 205, which puts her one ahead of world No. 4 Paula Creamer.

The young American birdied the last for a four-under 67. She is alone in second, one shot in front of Momoko Ueda (67) and overnight-leader Young Kim (73), who are in a minus-five.

Sorenstam began the third round one shot behind Kim and found herself two back after Kim birdied No. 1. Sorenstam chipped in for birdie at the par-five second to trail by only a stroke.

The margin stayed at one until Kim dropped a shot with a bogey at the seventh. Sorenstam gained sole possession of the lead thanks to a Kim bogey at the 12th.

The Swede appeared to be in trouble at the 13th, but the former world No. 1 sank a clutch eight-footer to save par. Kim bogeyed 14 to fall two back and into a tie with Creamer, who vaulted up the leaderboard thanks to three birdies in her first 11 holes.

Sorenstam dropped her first shot of the round at the par-three 15th. Her tee shot came up considerably short of the putting surface and she knocked her second to six feet. Sorenstam could not convert her par putt to trim the cushion to one.

Sorenstam got the stroke back at the 17th. She hit a pitching-wedge 20 feet from the flagstick and poured in the birdie putt to reclaim a two-shot advantage.

That did not last long.

Creamer elected to lay up at the par-five closing hole and the decision paid off well. She hit her third to four feet and rolled in the birdie putt to get back within one.

Sorenstam also decided to not make the effort for the green with her second, despite a strong drive in the fairway. Her third skipped long and left over the green and her chip only traveled about five yards.

That left Sorenstam with a 12-foot par save to stay alone in first. She ran it home as she will try for LPGA Tour victory No. 71 on Sunday.

If it weren't for Lorena Ochoa, Sorenstam and Creamer would be in great shape this year. Sorenstam won the SBS Open at Turtle Bay. Creamer took the Fields Open in Hawaii and Louise Friberg is the only other winner not named Ochoa this year.

Creamer felt happy to be in second since she was using crutches earlier in the week for a bad hip.

"Seems like whenever something's wrong with me, I play a little better," said Creamer. "I won in Hawaii, I was sick. Now my hip, but we'll take it. We're trying to get through the week and see what happens."

Reigning U.S. Women's Open champion Cristie Kerr fired a four-under 67 on Saturday and is alone in fifth at minus-four. Dorothy Delasin shot a two-under 69 and has sixth at two-under-par 210.

Angela Park (68), Ji Young Oh (68) and Sean Hwa Lee (69) share seventh at minus-one.