GOLF ROUNDUP : Sheehan Leads After Alfredsson Collapses

The pain was almost too much for Helen Alfredsson. This was the worst kind of hurt, an ache of the soul.

“Right now, it’s hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel, actually,” the native of Sweden said. “Hopefully, I can relax tonight and find out what happened and find some strength for tomorrow.”

Alfredsson’s unexpected and total collapse Saturday left Patty Sheehan with a one-stroke lead after the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Lake Orion, Mich.

Alfredsson, who shattered Open records for the first two rounds, lost eight strokes to par over the final 10 holes. She finished with a five-over-par 76 and dropped to third place with a 208 total.

Sheehan, seeking her fifth major title and second Open championship in three years, curled in a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 for a two-under 69 and the lead at 206 for three trips around the Old Course at Indianwood Golf and Country Club. Tammie Green was second, one shot back.

“I think I’m a little surprised at this point,” said Sheehan, who broke Alfredsson’s year-old 54-hole Open record. “But I should know better than anyone that anything can happen in an Open. There are 18 holes left and there is a lot of golf left to play.”

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Tom Wargo wasn’t the most-watched American in the British Senior Open this week, but he probably should have been.

Wargo, who won the Doug Sanders Celebrity Classic at the end of March, shot a one-under 71 and defeated defending champion Bob Charles and Doug Dalziel by two shots at Lytham, England.

Arnold Palmer, whose opening-round of 69 gave him a share of the lead, had a two-over 74 Saturday and wound up tied for sixth at even-par 288 after four trips over the 6,673-yard Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s course.

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Rain halted the third round of the New England Classic at Sutton, Mass., but there was little change among the leaders as Ed Fiori kept his one-stroke edge.

The 12 players still on the course were scheduled to finish their rounds this morning before the fourth round.

Fiori started and ended the day at 10 under with a lead of one stroke over Kenny Perry and David Feherty and two over Guy Boros, Fred Funk and Fran Quinn. Fiori and Perry finished 12 holes, Boros and Funk made it through 13 and Feherty completed 14.

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Crowd favorite Jim Colbert took advantage of perfect weather to shoot a seven-under 63 and took a two-stroke lead after 36 holes of the 54-hole Southwestern Bell Seniors Classic at Belton, Mo.

Colbert’s 63 gave him a nine-under 131 total, but it was crowded at the top of the leaderboard after sunny, windless conditions led to some of the lowest scores in the tournament’s five-year history.

Isao Aoki shot a 64 and was tied with Larry Gilbert and first-round leader Graham Marsh at 133. Marsh came in with a 67 and Gilbert had a 66.