Golf

Creamer up 7 at Evian Masters

By wire services
Published July 23, 2005

EVIAN, France - Paula Creamer shot 6-under 66 Friday, taking a seven-stroke lead over Karine Icher and Laura Davies after the third round of the Evian Masters.

The 18-year-old Creamer of Bradenton was eight strokes ahead of Annika Sorenstam, who carded a 72, and 11 in front of Michelle Wie. The 15-year-old amateur shot 68 after rounds of 75 and 70.

Icher managed 68-209 and Davies shot 70-209, but both lost ground to Creamer, who is poised to claim her second title in her rookie season.

"Tomorrow it will be like everybody's starting out at zero," Creamer said. "I'll aim to get the lead as big as possible as quickly as possible."

Creamer, known for wearing something pink every time she plays, won the Sybase Classic two months ago and is fourth on the LPGA money list with $739,650.

Sorenstam knows she has a tough final-round task.

"I've got to play a real good round, a 64 or maybe even better, to give myself a chance tomorrow," she said. "Paula played great today and I didn't make anything."

Wie finally converted some of the birdie chances she has had this week. She birdied the second hole, had a triple-bogey 7 at No. 4, then made six birdies in eight holes from the sixth before parring the five closing holes.

PGA: Ben Crane, of all people, accelerated his golf game.

Crane, whose slow play drew the ire of Rory Sabbatini at the Booz Allen Classic last month, didn't want to have to return to Brown Deer Park in Milwaukee first thing this morning to play just one hole at the US Bank Championship.

So, he found himself running between shots and conspiring with playing partners Corey Pavin and Kenny Perry to make sure they didn't have to set the alarm clock.

"Given the fact I'll probably have a late tee time tomorrow, it's nice to get that extra sleep and not have to get up really early to come out here and hit one shot or something like that. I'll sleep a little better tonight," Crane said after carding 5-under 65 to maintain his lead.

Crane's 13-under 127 is two shots better than Scott Verplank and four better than Tommy Armour III and Chris Smith.

Jeff Sluman was at minus-11 and waiting to tee off on his last hole when play was suspended at 8:25 p.m. due to darkness. He was one of 55 players who will have to return at 7:30 a.m. today to finish.

"I just hope I don't oversleep and miss the cut," Sluman said.

PGA CHAMPIONS: Former Masters champion Craig Stadler saved par on his final two holes for 3-under 68, leaving him the only player under par at the Senior British Open in Aberdeen, Scotland, and giving him a two-shot lead over Greg Norman.

The last thing Norman (143) wanted to do in his Champions Tour debut was take himself out of contention. Instead, the Shark fired away on a blustery afternoon at Royal Aberdeen. He finished off his 67 by muscling a 9-iron out of deep rough into 30 feet and holing the birdie putt on the 18th.

"I knew today I could shoot myself out of the tournament, and I didn't want to do that," Norman said.

The wind was not nearly as strong as the opening round, when no one broke par, but it still got the players' attention.

"Four birdies and a bogey around here are pretty good," said Stadler, who is going after his third Champions Tour major. "I still will not say that I hit the ball perfectly, because I didn't - far from it. But I just kept it in play and was patient and pretty much got as much as I could out of it."

Des Smyth shot 72 and was four behind, followed by a group at 146 that included Tom Watson (71) and first-round leader Loren Roberts, who had a 74.

FUTURES: Kristin Dufour, Chrstina Baena and Bo Mi Suh shot 4-under 68 and were tied to the first-round lead at the Laconia Savings Bank Golf Classic in Concord, N.H. Jenny Gleason of Clearwater and Kelly Lagedrost of Brooksville shot 72.

JUNIOR AMATEUR: Kevin Tway won two close matches to advance to a 36-hole final today at the U.S. Junior Amateur against Bradley Johnson in Longmeadow, Mass.

[Last modified July 23, 2005, 00:53:16]