Henninger, Flesch Share Lead

Brian Henninger and Steve Flesch wasted chances to pull away from the Western Open field Saturday, finishing the day tied for the lead at 13-under-par 203 after 54 holes at Lemont, Ill.

Henninger bogeyed the 18th hole and finished with a two-under 70. Flesch shot a 68, but he had three bogeys on the last seven holes.

That leaves some hope for defending champion Tiger Woods, who is six strokes back at seven-under 209 despite another frustrating day. His putter failed him again, and he ran into big trouble on the par-five ninth--a hole he birdied the first two rounds--as he shot a 70.

“If I can just putt better, I’ll be all right,” he said. “If not, it’s just one of those weeks and go on to the next tournament.”

Lee Janzen is one stroke behind Flesch and Henninger after shooting a 66--tied for best round of the day. Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk and Nick Price, a two-time Western Open winner, are two strokes behind at 205.

Henninger has won twice in his eight years on the PGA Tour. After missing the cut in 11 of the first 18 tournaments this season, he adopted a new, relaxed attitude and it seemed to work Friday as he a course-record 63 and took a one-stroke lead.

He was more solid than spectacular Saturday. A birdie on the par-three 14th put him at 14 under and gave him the lead, but he bogeyed the 18th to drop back into a tie with Flesch.

Flesch, who finished with a birdie on No. 18, said of his round: “Six birdies, one eagle and four bogeys. That’s as erratic as you can get, isn’t it? I was just making everybody in the crowd feel good because I was playing like a lot of them do.”

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Dana Quigley, playing in his record 98th consecutive tournament, shot a five-under 67 to tie defending champion Christy O’Connor and Leonard Thompson atop the leaderboard after two rounds of the State Farm Senior Classic at Columbia, Md.

Larry Nelson, third on the money list, shot a 67 and is tied for third with Walter Hall, Hubert Green and Jim Albus, two shots behind the leaders.

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Annika Sorenstam of Sweden is in line for her third title in five tournaments after shooting a six-under 65 to grab a four-shot lead after three rounds of the Jamie Farr Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Rookie Heather Bowie, even with Sorenstam at the start of the day, is tied for second with Beth Daniel, Tracy Hanson, Kate Golden and Australians Rachel Hetherington and Jane Crafter.

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Russamee Gulyanamitta of Costa Mesa, playing in her first tournament in the United States since arriving from Thailand a month ago, advanced to today’s 18-hole final in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Aberdeen, N.C. She will play Catherine Cartwright, a 17-year-old high school senior from Bonita Springs, Fla.