A Major Move for Sorenstam

Facing a marathon finish in the rain-delayed LPGA Championship at Wilmington, Del., Annika Sorenstam made sure she at least had a head start.

Sorenstam missed a half-dozen good birdie chances on the front nine Saturday at DuPont Country Club, then made four consecutive birdies that carried her to a four-under-par 67 and a one-stroke lead over Juli Inkster and Jennifer Rosales going into the final day.

But she is only halfway to retaining her title and winning a seventh major. Rain washed out the second round Friday, so Sorenstam and everyone else will have to play 36 holes today.

“I love being in the lead, but it’s a long way to go,” she said.

She has a chance to repeat in more ways than one. Because of rain last year, Sorenstam had to play 34 holes on Sunday -- one of those in a playoff -- to win the LPGA Championship.

The way Sorenstam is playing, it could be a long day for those chasing her. She had a birdie putt on every hole, only one of them from just off the green, and says her swing feels better than ever. The only glitch was a three-putt bogey on the final hole from 40 feet that left her at seven-under 135.

Inkster, who made up a two-shot deficit against Sorenstam to win the U.S. Women’s Open at Prairie Dunes two years ago, also found a groove with her swing. She shot a five-under 66, finishing her round with a big drive and a seven-wood to the front edge of the par-five ninth.

“I like my position,” said Inkster, who finished her round as Sorenstam was just getting started. “I have a chance on Sunday, and that’s pretty much what you want to do.”

Rosales recovered from two bogeys on her first three holes to shoot 70.

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Loren Roberts shot a seven-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Cameron Beckman and Rory Sabbatini into the final round of the Buick Classic in Harrison, N.Y.

Roberts, 49, has five top-10 finishes in 18 starts on the hilly, tree-lined Westchester Country Club course -- including a second-place tie in 2002.

“I’ve always loved this golf course,” he said. “I just love old-style traditional courses. This is one of the finest that we play.”

He played the back nine in five-under 30 for his best round of the season, closing with two birdies to top the leaderboard at 12-under 201 in the final event before the U.S. Open next week at Shinnecock Hills.

“I really got just about everything out of my round that I could have gotten,” Roberts said. “Obviously, I had a great round.”

Sabbatini shot a 65, and Beckman birdied the final five holes for a 66.

Tom Byrum (68) and Luke Donald (70) were 10 under, two-time Westchester winner Vijay Singh (71) and Padraig Harrington (68) were another stroke back, and Sergio Garcia (68) was eight under.

Fred Couples, the second-round leader at 10 under, shot a 74 to join Phil Mickelson (69) in a five-player group at seven under.

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David Duval announced that he plans to play in the U.S. Open, his first competition since he withdrew from a tournament in Japan in November. He missed the cut in his last PGA Tour Event in October in Las Vegas.

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Allen Doyle shot a six-under 66 to take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Bayer Advantage Celebrity Pro-Am in Parkville, Mo.

Doyle made four birdies on the front nine and three on the back to move to 13-under 131. He is in position for his first Champions Tour victory of the season and his first title since winning the Fleet Boston Classic in August.

Doyle had a bogey-free round until the 17th, but birdied No. 18 for a one-shot lead over Jerry Pate, who matched the course record with a seven-under 65.