Perry Leads by Eight After Record-Tying 61

With the focus back on the leaders after Annika Sorenstam missed the cut at Fort Worth, Kenny Perry matched the Colonial Country Club record with a nine-under-par 61 Saturday to get to 17 under for an eight-stroke lead after three rounds.

Perry, who has four PGA Tour victories, was on target from the start, with birdies on his first three holes and then three more to end his front nine. With three more birdies on the back nine, he finished his best round in 17 years on the PGA Tour.

With the largest lead after 54 holes on the tour this season, Perry is in position for a record-breaking win at the Colonial. He is already one stroke better than Fulton Allem’s record-low 16-under victory in 1993.

Rory Sabbatini was the closest to Perry at nine under after his third-round 67 that started with an eagle. Jim Furyk (69) was nine strokes back.

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Catriona Matthew shot a five-under 67, rallying with a birdie at No. 17 after consecutive three-putt bogeys to take a two-stroke lead over Lorie Kane into the final round of the LPGA Corning (N.Y.) Classic.

Matthew, who started the day tied with Kane at 12 under, was at 17-under 199 and within reach of the tournament record of 20-under 268 set in 1998 by Tammie Green.

Kane was alone in second after a 69. Meg Mallon and Hall of Famers Juli Inkster and Beth Daniel were another shot back at 202. Helen Alfredsson was alone at 203, Wendy Ward and Soo Yun Kang were tied at 204, and two-time Corning champ Rosie Jones was at 205.

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Jim Thorpe shot a six-under 64 and Morris Hatalsky had a 65 to share the second-round lead in the Champions Tour’s Columbus (Ga.) Southern Open.

Thorpe and Hatalsky had nine-under 131 totals on the Green Island Country Club course for a one-stroke lead over Doug Tewell (64), Tom Jenkins (65), Allen Doyle (66) and Ireland’s Des Smith (66).