CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Bernhard Langer took a three-shot lead in the Senior British Open after shooting a 2-under-par 69 in the third round at Carnoustie on Saturday.
The German has yet to win on the Champions Tour but is in position to change that after outplaying his nearest rival, Corey Pavin.
The pair set out as co-leaders at 4 under, but three bogeys dropped the American Ryder Cup team captain to a 1-over 72.
Langer’s lead would have been even greater but he drove into a bunker on the final hole and was forced to lay up short of the infamous Barry Burn with his recovery shot.
He then hit a wedge to 5 feet but missed the putt to save his par and had to settle for the three-shot lead with a 6-under 207.
After his round, Langer said he wished he had used a different club off the 18th tee to take the bunker out of play.
“I hit a 3-wood,” he said. “But my caddie and I also discussed hitting one less - a hybrid. I should have listened but I am a stubborn German.”
A group of six players go into the final round at 2 under, one shot behind Pavin and four off the lead.
PGA TOUR
Wilson leads by four
TORONTO - Dean Wilson shot his third consecutive 5-under-par 65 Saturday to take a four-stroke lead over record-setting Carl Pettersson, Tim Clark and Bob Estes in the Canadian Open, pulling away with three consecutive birdies at rainy St. George’s.
Before Wilson and Clark teed off, Pettersson shot a 10-under 60 in calm and dry morning conditions to break the tournament record, missing a 59 when his 30-foot birdie putt from the fringe grazed the left edge on the difficult par-4 18th.
Estes had a 66, and Clark shot a 69 to match Pettersson at 11 under. A day after matching the then-tournament record with a 62, Kevin Sutherland had a 65 to join Conway’s Bryce Molder (63), Trevor Immelman (65) and Brock Mackenzie (68) at 10 under. Little Rock’s Glen Day shot a 69 for a 4-under 206.
After making the cut Friday, John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 73 Saturday for a 2-over 212, which didn’t qualify him to play in today’s final round.
LPGA
Pressel eagles to lead
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Morgan Pressel is in front by two strokes after three rounds of the Evian Masters.
The American eagled the final hole Saturday in a round of 5-under-par 67 to move to 11 under. She is followed by South Koreans Jiyai Shin andJeong Jang.
Conway’s Stacy Prammanasudh shot a 71 for a 1-under 215.
PGA EUROPEAN
Choi, Johnson tied
STOCKHOLM - K.J. Choi of South Korea and Richard Johnson of Sweden share the lead at the Scandinavian Masters after the third round, and British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen blew a chance to join them.
Choi had three birdies and two bogeys at Bro Hof Slott on Saturday to shoot a 1-under-par 71 for a total of 10-under 206.
Johnson mixed four birdies with two bogeys in shooting 70.
Oosthuizen bogeyed his final hole to end on a 70 and at 9 under.
NATIONWIDE
Australians on top
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Australia’s Nick Flanagan shot a 2-under-par 69 Saturday to move into sole possession of the 54-hole lead at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. Flanagan stumbled with a double bogey on his next-to-last hole but still managed to post a 7-under 206 total after three rounds at the Ohio State University Scarlet Course, good for a one-stroke lead over countrymen Alistair Presnell (70) and Won Joon Lee (66).
Scott Gardiner (Farmington) shot a 70 for a 4-under 209, while Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) had a 68 for a 2-under 211. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 74 for a 3-over 216.
Leaderboard Senior British Open At Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship Course) Carnoustie, Scotland Bernhard Langer 67-71-69-207 Corey Pavin 67-71-72-210 - Complete scores, Page 11C
Sports, Pages 34 on 07/25/2010