Sorenstam Puts Ill Power to Use

Annika Sorenstam woke up with a sore throat Saturday morning and figured it was a good sign.

“Look out for the sick golfer,” she said. “And that’s me.”

Look out, indeed.

Sorenstam, the No. 1 women’s player in the world, shot four-under-par 67 -- the best round of the third day at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club -- and stormed into contention with one round to play in the U.S. Women’s Open.

She has a three-day total of two-under 211, three shots behind leader Hilary Lunke and two behind Angela Stanford. Second-round leader Mhairi McKay shot 75 and is in a tie for third with Sorenstam, Jeong Jang and 17-year-old Aree Song, who shot 68 in the third round.

Sorenstam moved into prime position to win her sixth major championship and third U.S. Open. The six players in the final three groups today have won 46 times; Sorenstam has 45 of the victories and Stanford has one. Only Sorenstam has won a major.

“Obviously, I’m in a position where I want to be and I know how to react under those conditions,” Sorenstam said. “I’m happy where I’m at. I would like to be in my shoes tomorrow.”

Lunke, 24, got married over the winter and changed her last name from Homeyer. She has missed seven of 12 cuts this season but has finished in the top 25 in her last two events.

She made three consecutive birdies to finish a front-nine 32, birdied the last hole and shot 68 playing in the final group Saturday. She said she would need a similar effort today.

“This is why we play golf,” she said. “This is the feeling we want to have. I just hope I keep hitting the ball well tomorrow and a few more of those putts go in.”

Stanford, 25, earned the first victory of her career last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. She was tied for the lead through 12 holes Saturday but made bogeys on Nos. 14 and 16 to fall two behind. A birdie on the last hole gave her a 69 and put her in the final group, but she is well aware who is lurking.

“I knew [Sorenstam] was there today,” she said. “She’s the best player in the world and you expect the best player to show up on Sunday and play out of her mind. I’m expecting that and I’m ready for that.”

Sorenstam, playing 13 groups in front of the leaders, made four birdies without a bogey -- just the second bogey-free round of the tournament. Leta Lindley went without a bogey in her second-round 69.

Sorenstam said the birdies helped, but a couple of crucial par-saving putts were just as important.

“Starting today I’m behind and I’m trying to climb,” Sorenstam said. “Birdies mean a lot, but once you start making a bogey you start falling back so far. So, I didn’t want to lose any shots and just wanted to keep climbing.

“I had a great tee time today, playing a little under the radar, a little earlier.... So I just felt like it was a good day for me to go low, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Song, one of 14 teenagers in the tournament, has a 10-shot lead over USC’s Irene Cho and Elizabeth Janangelo for low teen.

Song had a near-flawless 31 on the back nine Saturday.

She hit 11 of 13 fairways in the round and needed only 27 putts.

Song played in the final group at the 2000 Nabisco Championship and tied for 10th. She will play with Sorenstam and will try to remain patient.

“Just keep focused is the main thing,” Song said. “Not looking at the leaderboard, I think that’s the way I play my best. I’m not really thinking about winning. I just want to keep having fun.”

Sorenstam might make that difficult. She said adding to her major championship titles is her priority.

“I would like to say there are four tournaments a year that I would like to be able to take,” Sorenstam said. “And here it’s this week. There’s nothing better than the feeling on Sunday when you have a chance to win.”

Except, perhaps, a sore throat.