GOLF ROUNDUP : Nicklaus Shoots Into the Lead With a 67

Jack Nicklaus climbed past a faltering Dale Douglass and charged to the third-round lead Saturday at the U.S. Senior Open.

Nicklaus birdied the last three holes to shoot a four-under-par 67 at Denver’s Cherry Hills Country Club. He stands at five-under 208 entering today’s final round.

Nicklaus, who hasn’t won since the Senior Open two years ago, capped his round with a birdie on the 450-yard, par-four 18th hole.

“I had a couple of bobbles today,” Nicklaus said. “But it was one of the best rounds I’ve had this year.

“Saturday is the day you usually get yourself in or out of the tournament. It’s the first Saturday I’ve gotten myself in the tournament in quite a while.”

One stroke behind was Douglass, who had built a three-stroke lead with some precision iron play before bogeying the final two holes. Douglass, who finished with a 68, appeared headed for sole possession of the third-round lead after making birdies at 15 and 16 to go six under.

Chi Chi Rodriguez, the first- and second-round leader, began the day with a bogey. And three more bogeys in a row on the back nine dropped him from the lead.

Kermit Zarley was at 210 after a 69. Rodriguez, who limped home with a 75, was at 212, along with Tom Weiskopf and Larry Ziegler. Raymond Floyd and Miller Barber were at 213. Isao Aoki, who had a 76, was at 214.

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Dillard Pruitt scorched the sultry Kingsmill Golf Club with birdies on nine of his first 13 holes, vaulting him into a one-shot lead over John Adams in the Anheuser-Busch Classic at Williamsburg, Va.

Pruitt matched the course record of nine-under-par 62 held by five others. He is at 13-under 200 after three rounds.

Adams shot a 68 on a day when the temperature again hovered near 100 degrees in high humidity.

Lanny Wadkins birdied the first four holes and made the turn in 30, but settled for a 64 that put him at 202, two off the lead.

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Karen Lunn settled down and rolled in a 10-foot putt for eagle on the closing hole to pull even with Missie McGeorge entering the final round of the Youngstown-Warren LPGA Classic at Warren, Ohio.

Lunn, a native of Australia in her first full year on tour, had six birdies and an eagle, but also four bogeys. Her four-under-par 68 left her at 10-under 134 and matched McGeorge, who followed a career-best 65 in the opening round with a 69 at Avalon Lakes Golf Course.

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Former Dodger Rick Rhoden increased his lead to three shots over Johnny Bench with a one-under-par 71 in the second round of the $400,000 Isuzu Celebrity Golf Championship at Stateline, Nev.

Michael Jordan had a 71, but after his opening 83, he trails Rhoden by 16 shots.