Associated Press
KOHLER, Wis. — Na Yeon Choi had one of the best rounds in U.S. Women’s Open history, taking control of the tournament with a 7-under 65 in the third round at Blackwolf Run on Saturday.
The fifth-ranked South Korean star’s remarkable round put her at 8 under for the tournament, giving her a six-stroke lead over Amy Yang. Only four players ever have posted a lower round in the Open, and the 65 tied the lowest third-round score in the event’s history.
Michelle Wie faded, shooting a 6-over 78 to fall to 2 over. Wie shot a 66 on Friday, putting her a stroke behind leader Suzann Pettersen. Pettersen also shot a 78 and slid to 1 over.
Yang had a 69. Choi and Yang were the only players to break 70 in the round.
Lexi Thompson, Mika Miyazato and Sandra Gal were tied for third at 1 under. The 17-year-old Thompson had a 72, Miyazato shot 73, and Gal had a 74.
Top-ranked Yani Tseng struggled, shooting a 78 and fading to 8 over.
GREENBRIER
CLASSIC
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson shot a 5-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Greenbrier Classic.
Simpson had his second straight bogey-free round to reach 14 under on The Greenbrier Resort’s Old White TPC course. Last year in the event, he briefly led entering the final nine holes, but faded to a tie for ninth.
Troy Kelly was second after a 62. He had hip-replacement surgery in September 2010 after being diagnosed with arthritis.
Rookie Charlie Beljan, J.B. Holmes and Ken Duke were 11 under. Beljan had a 67, Holmes a 66, and Duke a 65.
Holmes had part of his skull removed in September 2011, four months after he started having vertigo symptoms. He returned to the tour in January.
FIRST TEE OPEN
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Tom Kite shot a 3-under 69 at Pebble Beach for a share of the lead with Brad Bryant after the second round of the First Tee Open.
The 62-year-old Kite won the 1983 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am and 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, the site of the final round Sunday in the Champions Tour event.
Bryant, winless since the 2007 U.S. Senior Open, had a 67 at Del Monte to match Kite at 8 under.
Bobby Clampett, Peter Senior and Mark McNulty were tied for third at 5 under. Clampett had a 67, Senior shot a 70, and McNulty a 71 — all at Pebble Beach.
Cook withdrew after nine holes Saturday because of a lingering neck injury. He was 5 over for the round and even par overall when he stopped playing.
FRENCH OPEN
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — England’s David Howell shot a 4-under 67 for a share of the lead Sweden’s Anders Hansen of Denmark after the third round of the French Open.
Hansen had a 69 to match Howell at 6 under on Le Golf National’s Albatross Course.
South Africa’s George Coetzee was a stroke back after a 70.
Third-ranked Lee Westwood strained his groin when he slipped while walking to the first tee. He had a double bogey on the opening hole, bogeyed the next five and finished with a 76. He was 6 over.
