LPGA | Paula Creamer swings into lead

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Paula Creamer birdied the final three holes for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke lead over Angela Stanford on Saturday after the third round of the Samsung World Championship.

Playing near her hometown of Pleasanton, Creamer had a 6-under 210 total on the Half Moon Bay Golf Links Ocean Course.

Stanford led for much of the day but hurt herself with two double bogeys on the back nine. She birdied the final two holes for a 69. Australian Katherine Hull eagled No. 4 and also birdied 18 for a 69 to stay within two strokes of the lead on a day when birdies were hard to come by for everybody in the elite 20-player field.

"It's not a birdie-fest out there by any means," Creamer said. "I've never seen a scoreboard go up and down so much in a tournament. Early on people have been starting off so well and haven't been able to finish."

Two-time defending Samsung champion Lorena Ochoa shot a 70, also leaving her two strokes back along with Song-Hee Kim (70). Ochoa is seeking her eighth victory of the year and the $250,000 purse.

Ochoa narrowly missed several birdie putts while watching Stanford come up big with accuracy in both her short and long games. They played a fast-paced front nine minus the changing wind that was such a nuisance Friday.

"I'm putting very well," said Stanford, who made a 25-footer for birdie on the par-3 ninth. "If you can get the ball rolling and putt well out here, you can make some birdies."

Players hit through a light drizzle at times on a cool fall day in the Bay Area but the rain never lasted for long.

Creamer, who had birdied only No. 7 before her strong finish, played solid par golf all day and didn't have a bogey. Five times out of nine Creamer has gone on to win after leading entering the final day, including twice this year.

Juli Inkster (68) jumped up the leaderboard and for a short time got to 4-under after going 5-under with five birdies for the day through the first 10 holes. She had bogeys on Nos. 12, 13 and 15 to go to 3-under 213 for the tournament. Also three strokes back is Suzann Pettersen after she shot a 69.

Stanford followed her double eagle from a day earlier with another strong round.

The 30-year-old Texan, bothered on most shots Friday by her troublesome left shoulder, was clearly relaxed and enjoying herself — while Ochoa appeared frustrated at times during her round.

Ochoa bogeyed No. 1 and then her tee shot on the second hole sailed left into the soggy rough. She chipped out of it to five feet of the cup and made the birdie putt, pumping her right fist as the gallery roared. But Ochoa didn't have many of those.

"Today I really left a lot of birdies out there," Ochoa said. "I hope tomorrow to make a couple of birdies early to give me a good rhythm."

Ridings, Howell tied

VERONA, N.Y. — Tag Ridings missed a short par putt on the final hole to fall into a tie with Charles Howell III for the third-round lead in the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Ridings (71), winless in 130 starts on the PGA Tour, finished with a 1-under 71 to match Howell (69) at 8-under 208.

Jeff Overton (73), who led both the first and second rounds by one shot, was tied for third at 7 under with Brian Davis (69), Jason Day (71) and Kyle Thompson (69).

Ryan Moore of Puyallup shot a 69 for 1-over 217 and is tied for 42nd.

Notes

• Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin shot an even-par 72 and Germany's Martin Kaymer had a 72, both at Carnoustie, to share the third-round lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

• South Korea's Kim Wi-joong shot a 2-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Korea Open in Seoul. Kim had a 10-under 203 total on the Woo Jeong Hills Country Club course. American Anthony Kim (67), Englishman Ian Poulter (69) and South Koreans Bae Sang-moon (67) and Kim Dae-sub (69) were tied for second.