Franco, McCallister Tied for Lead at New Orleans

Carlos Franco and Blaine McCallister have plenty of company at the top of the leaderboard in the Compaq Classic at New Orleans.

While Franco and McCallister shot four-under-par 68s Saturday to share the third-round lead at 14-under 202, 14 players are within five strokes of the leaders.

“This is the kind of golf course where somebody from the back of the pack can shoot a 64 or 65 at any time,” McCallister said. “If you’re sitting there trying to protect your lead, all of a sudden you can look up and they’ve gone past you.”

Harrison Frazar was a stroke back after a 64 and five golfers were tied at 12 under.

“Defending my championship is very, very important for me,” Franco said. “To win again here would be very big in my country.”

*

Hubert Green set the Home Depot Invitational record with a nine-under 63, charging from back in the pack to take a two-shot lead over defending champion Bruce Fleisher at Charlotte, N.C.

Green took advantage of ideal conditions and true greens on the TPC Piper Glen course, carding 10 birdies and one bogey to break the record set by J.C. Snead in the final round in 1993.

The 53-year-old Green, who won two majors on the PGA Tour, has an 11-under-133 total to break the tournament 36-hole mark of 134 set by Bob Murphy in ’95 and matched by DeWitt Weaver in ’97.

*

Laura Davies shot a two-under 68 in windy conditions to take a three-stroke lead over Tammie Green and Susie Redman after the third round of the Philips Invitational at Austin, Texas.

*

Karrie Webb shot an eight-under 64 to take a comfortable eight-stroke lead into the final round of the Nichirei Cup World Ladies at Inagi, Japan.

The U.S. tour leader birdied four of the first seven holes and went on to score an eagle and four more birdies against two bogeys on the back nine.