Flesch Shoots 68 and Leads by One

Steve Flesch, who used a second-place finish at New Orleans last year as a springboard to the PGA Tour rookie-of-the-year award, shot a four-under-par 68 Saturday for a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the $2.6-million Compaq Classic at New Orleans.

Flesch was at 15-under 201, one stroke ahead of Omar Uresti and Eric Booker and two ahead of Dudley Hart, Harrison Frazar and Carlos Franco.

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Hale Irwin, seeking his first victory of the year after dominating the Senior Tour the previous two years, birdied his final two holes for a four-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead over Allen Doyle and Jose Maria Canizares after two rounds of the Nationwide Championship at Alpharetta, Ga.

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Becky Iverson recovered from a wobbly start with three consecutive birdies to surge past Karrie Webb, then came back from a two-hour storm delay with two more birdies to finish with a six-under 66 and a four-stroke lead over Annika Sorenstam in the Titleholders Championship at Daytona Beach, Fla.