DiMarco Struggles and Is Tied for Lead

Chris DiMarco had eight bogeys and only three birdies in the third round Saturday to drop into a tie for the lead with Rod Pampling in the International at Castle Rock, Colo., setting up what could be a wild finish.

DiMarco, the second-round leader, appeared to headed toward a runaway victory with 31 points and a nine-point lead in the Stableford scoring system event, but ended up losing two points in the third round with his stroke-play 77.

DiMarco’s collapse allowed 17 players to move to within 10 points in a format known for huge swings of momentum -- from eight points for a double eagle to minus-three for double bogey or worse. Alex Cejka was two points back after a six-birdie round, and Tom Pernice and Bob Tway were tied for fourth with 26.

Half the field returned to the Castle Pines course early Saturday to finish the second round after three rain delays the first two days, and they were all chasing DiMarco -- who opened with 14- and 17-point rounds.

DiMarco got off to a good start, opening with a birdie on the par-five first hole to match Pampling. Then things started to go wrong.

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Karen Stupples shot a three-under-par 68 to build a three-stroke lead over Marilyn Lovander through three rounds of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Stupples, who won the Women’s British Open last week, is trying to stop Se Ri Pak’s bid for a record-tying fifth victory at the Jamie Farr.

Pak is trying to become only the second player to win the same LPGA event five times, matching Mickey Wright, who won the Sea Island Open in 1957-58, 1960-61 and 1963. After shooting a 72, Pak is tied for fifth, five shots back.

Stupples is at eight-under 205. Lovander, 49, is trying to become the oldest player to win an LPGA Tour event. She bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 69 that left her at 208.

Tied for third, four shots back, are Jeong Jang (68) and second-round co-leader Meg Mallon, who struggled to a 74.

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Tom Purtzer shot a four-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead over Tom Kite into the final round of the Champions Tour’s 3M Championship at Blaine, Minn.

Last year, in Purtzer’s first appearance at the TPC of the Twin Cities, he was tied for the lead late in the final round but hit two tee shots into the water on No. 17. He finished with a 74 that left him tied for 10th, four strokes behind winner Wayne Levi.

Purtzer and Kite (69) were tied through 16 holes, but Kite’s bogey and Purtzer’s birdie on the par-three 17th gave Purtzer a two-stroke lead. They both birdied the 18th.

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Carin Koch and Becky Morgan shared the third-round lead at the HP Open in Stockholm, with Annika Sorenstam two shots behind after a three-under 69. Koch shot a 68 and was at seven-under 209 with Morgan, who shot 69.