Kaye Shoots a 65 to Take the Lead in Hartford Open

Jonathan Kaye avoided the late trouble that derailed Phil Mickelson, shooting a five-under-par 65 Saturday to take the third-round lead in the Greater Hartford Open at Cromwell, Conn.

Kaye, suspended for two months and put on probation for the season after a confrontation with a tournament security guard last year, had a 13-under 197 to take a one-stroke lead over Scott Verplank into the final round.

“It’s just another round of golf,” said Kaye, winless in six full seasons on the PGA Tour. “I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

Verplank, who matched the course record with a 61 in the final round last year, birdied six consecutive holes on the back nine for a 63.

Mickelson played the last three holes in three over for a 66, leaving the defending champion five strokes back.

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Mi Hyun Kim shot her second consecutive five-under 67 to take sole possession of the lead after three rounds of the LPGA Rochester International at Pittsford, N.Y. Kim’s third consecutive round in the 60s put her at 13-under 203, five shots ahead of Karrie Webb, who rallied with birdies on her final three holes to finish with her second consecutive 72 and a 208 total.

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J.C. Snead shot a course record eight-under 64, making an eagle and seven birdies to tie Rodger Davis for the lead after two rounds of the Greater Baltimore Classic at Hunt Valley, Md. Davis shot a 68 for an 11-under 133.

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Hwanhee Lee and Annie Thurman won to advance to the 36-hole final of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at the Meadows Course in Sunriver, Ore.

Lee, a 19-year-old from Cerritos, advanced to the title match today with a 3-and-2 victory over Michelle Wie, a 12-year-old from Honolulu. Thurman, a 19-year-old from Highland, Utah, advanced with a 2-and-1 win over Yvonne Choe of Temple City.

Pro Football

The Chicago Bears re-signed receiver Marty Booker, who set a team record with 100 receptions last season, to a seven-year, $28-million contract. Booker had 1,071 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season.

Todd Husak threw touchdown passes of 41 and 15 yards to Dane Looker, and the Berlin Thunder defended its World Bowl title with a 26-20 victory over the Rhein Fire in front of 53,109 at Duesseldorf, Germany.

Looker had 11 receptions for 111 yards and was selected the game’s most valuable player.

Pro Basketball

Yao Ming moved a step closer to the NBA when agent John Huizinga worked out a deal with his current team, the Shanghai Sharks. Huizinga said the Sharks agreed to let Yao come to the United States for an undisclosed portion of the 7-foot-5 center’s NBA earnings.

Huizinga is optimistic he can reach an agreement with the China Basketball Assn. in time for Wednesday’s draft.

Natalie Williams had season highs of 22 points and 20 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz defeated the Sacramento Monarchs, 77-61, in a WNBA game at Sacramento.... Allison Feaster tied a career high with 23 points and Charlotte defeated Miami, 76-63, at Charlotte, N.C.

Tennis

Jonas Bjorkman earned his first tour title in four years, defeating Wayne Arthurs, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2, in the final of the Samsung Open at Nottingham, England....Seventh-seeded Arnaud Clement advanced to the final of the Ordina Open at Den Bosch, Netherlands, with a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over third-seeded Guillermo Canas. Sjeng Schalken defeated fourth-seeded Tommy Robredo, 6-3, 6-3, in the other semifinal....Chanda Rubin defeated Anastasia Myskina, 6-1, 6-3, in the final of the Eastbourne grass-court tournament in England.

Passings

Ron Kline, a former star reliever who won 114 games during a 19-season major league career that began with the Pittsburgh Pirates, died at Callery, Pa. He was 70. Kline was hospitalized earlier in the week because of heart and kidney problems.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

Former Clemson men’s basketball coach Bobby Roberts, who led the Tigers to their best record in 63 years during the 1966-67 season, died in his home at Aiken, S.C.

Roberts, who had been battling lung cancer for several years, was 74.

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T.J. Simers is on assignment.