Baker 1 Up, but Lopez One to Beat

Kathy Baker has never before led a tournament after three rounds, and Judy Clark has never won one as a professional.

They will go after the 40th U.S. Women’s Open title today at Springfield, N.J., with one major obstacle standing in their way--Nancy Lopez.

Baker, also a nonwinner as a professional, fired a four-under-par 68 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Lopez and the 35-yuear-old Clark, who had an Open-record 65.

Lopez will clearly be the one to beat as she seeks her 33rd career victory.

“I feel no pressure,” Lopez said. “I think if I play my game, think smart and be patient, it will be my turn. One shot isn’t much.”

Lopez, 28, who held a share of the lead for the first two rounds, had a third round 71. She is seeking her first Open title and fourth victory in her last seven tournaments.

Baker, who took the lead on the final hole by rolling in a 15-foot birdie, said she played a consistent round and noted that her putts started dropping on the back nine, where she had five birdies and a bogey. Her 54-hole total of six-under-par 210 on the 6,274-yard upper course at the Baltusrol Golf Club was an Open record.

The old 54-hole record of five under par was set in 1980 by Amy Alcott.

Baker, 25, who started the day two over par, got back in contention with five birdies on the front side. She finished the day with nine birdies and two bogeys.

Two days after changing his putting style, Danny Edwards used his new cross-handed grip en route to a three-under-par 68 and the lead after three rounds of the $500,000 Anheuser-Busch tournament at Williamsburg, Va.

“I just have not had as many good putting weeks as I would have liked, so I’m just doing some experimenting and seeing how things go,” Edwards said of his new grip. “It’s just kind of a change of pace.”

Edwards, a four-time winner who joined the PGA Tour in 1975, had a 54-hole total of 202.

In second place, one stroke behind Edwards, was Mark Wiebe, a second-year pro from Escondido, Calif., who carded a seven-under-par 64, the day’s best round.

Lon Hinkle, who led for the first two days with rounds of 64 and 68 over the 6,746-yard Kingsmill Golf Club course, shot a 76. Hinkle was still ahead when he made the turn at 11 under. But he had a pair of double-bogeys and two more bogeys on the back nine to drop into a tie for seventh at 208.

Australian Graham Marsh withstood a challenge by American Rick Hartmann to win the $165,000 Lawrence Batley International tournament at Sutton Coldfield, England.

Marsh shot a final-round 73 to finish at 283, two shots ahead of Hartmann, 26, of Venice, Fla., who also shot a 73.