Chris Williams takes lead into final round at Sahalee

SAMMAMISH — Chris Williams holds the 54-hole lead heading into Friday's final round of the 18th Sahalee Players Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club.

Williams, a University of Washington golfer and 2010 U.S. Open qualifier from Moscow, Idaho, stayed focused during two grueling rounds Thursday. He posted a 1-over par 73 in the morning and a 1-under 71 in the afternoon for a 2-under 214 total.

He is one stroke ahead of 2010 runner-up Andrew Putnam of University Place and Michael Kim of Del Mar, Calif. All three will be paired in the final group Friday at 11:30 a.m.

Another U.S. Open qualifier, Chen-Tsung Pan of Sammamish, put himself in position to make a move in the final round with his 3-under 69 in the third round. He is at even-par 216.

Also at 216 is World Team Amateur participant Minghao Wang of Alpharetta, Ga.

U.S Public Links runner-up Derek Ernst of Clovis, Calif., is five shots off the lead at 3-over 219.

Notes

• Kenny Perry, a two-time Ryder Cup member with 14 wins on the PGA Tour, will play in the Boeing Classic Aug. 22-28 at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Perry is a rookie on the Champions Tour while continuing to play in PGA Tour events.

• Several rowers from the Seattle and Gig Harbor canoe and kayak clubs were named to the 2011 U.S. Junior Sprint team for the World Championships in Brandenburg, Germany July 29-31. Bailey Nurmia, Claire Kim and Mia Overton of Seattle, and Katie McKeever and Natalie Griffin of Gig Harbor are on the women's kayak team. Bryse Paffile, Dustin Sousley and Andrew Fields of Gig Harbor are on the men's canoe team. Angela Wang of Seattle and MacKenzie Sousley and Brittany Bakken of Gig Harbor will compete in women's canoe team.

• Three Seattle-area junior golfers are paired this weekend with Champions Tour pros at the Nature Valley Open at Pebble Beach, Calif. Haley Chinn is paired with Craig Stadler, Oliver Rudnicki with Steve Lowery, and Lyle Rudnicki will play with David Peoples.

• Evergreen Speedway's biggest event of the season is Saturday and Sunday in Monroe, with the K&N Pro Series West racing on the state's only NASCAR track. Information is available at evergreenspeedway.com.

From sports-information reports.