Song Holds Lead With 18 Down and 18 to Go

Aree Song celebrated her 18th birthday by staying in the lead Saturday at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga.

If she can hold on for another round -- no guarantee against a daunting leaderboard that includes Annika Sorenstam -- the teenager would become the youngest winner in LPGA history.

Oh, yeah, there’s the $240,000 first prize, which would certainly stand out among the CDs, gift certificates and other birthday gifts she has already received.

“I wouldn’t mind that,” Song said.

She shot a two-under-par 70 in the third round and hopes to surpass Marlene Hagge as the youngest winner ever. The Hall of Famer was 18 years, 14 days old when she won the Sarasota Open in 1952.

History won’t come easily.

Mi Hyun Kim, a five-time tour winner, shot a 69 and is one shot behind Song.

Sorenstam, the world’s No. 1 player, is just two strokes behind. So are Grace Park, who won the first major of the year, and Se Ri Pak, the defending Chick-fil-A champion.

While logging her second straight round without a bogey at Eagle’s Landing Country Club in suburban Atlanta, Song wore a shirt that had “I’m 18 and Excited” emblazoned across the front. For those who still didn’t get the message, her hat carried the logo “Birthday Girl.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many ‘happy birthdays’ in my life,” Song said. “I’ll be lonely tomorrow.”

Not likely. Song has already shown she belongs.

She was runner-up to Park at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and finished fifth at the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur. No one expects the teenager to collapse today.

“Now that she’s 18 ... more mature, wiser, older, she’ll handle it well,” Park joked.

The weather is an issue, as it usually is at a tournament that has been nicknamed the “Chick Delay.” Forecasters said up to an inch of rain could fall today, though they have struggled all weekend to make an accurate call.

If the final round is washed out, Song would win by default.

“My caddie mentioned that after the 17th hole,” Park said. “He told me it looks like the weather is really bad, so let’s make sure we finish strong and be on top of the leaderboard.”

Unfortunately for Park, she yanked her drive at 18 into the lake, took bogey on the short par five and wound up with a 71. She was tied for third with Sorenstam, Pak, Rachel Teske, Lorena Ochoa and Becky Morgan.

Park hopes to get a chance to make up for her mistake today.

“I don’t care who’s up there,” she said. “When I look at the leaderboard, I see the names but I don’t care if it’s Joe Schmo or Annika Sorenstam. I’m not going to be intimidated.”

Sorenstam put up a 67 -- tied for the best round of the day -- to get in position for her third LPGA win in 2004.

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Danny Ellis took a one-stroke lead in the rain-plagued HP Classic at New Orleans, finishing off a nine-under 63 and adding a 66 in the second round.

Charles Howell III (66-64) was second, and Masters champion Phil Mickelson (67-65) was three strokes back along with Matt Kuchar (69-63), Craig Bowden (66-66) and Ken Duke (64-68).

Seventy-seven players were unable to finish the second round.

Tour officials hoped to complete the third round today and play the fourth round Monday.

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Bruce Fleisher shot a four-under 68 to take a four-stroke lead over D.A. Weibring into the final round of the Bruno’s Memorial Classic at Hoover, Ala.

Fleisher, the runner-up last year, had a 12-under 132 total. Weibring shot his second straight 68. Hale Irwin, who shot a 67, Tom Jenkins (66) and Jay Sigel (67) were five strokes back at seven under.