Rain washes away Matthew's lead

Catriona Matthew bogeyed three of her last four holes Saturday but held on to the 54-hole lead at the LPGA Tour's final major of the season, the Women's British Open. She carded an even-par 72 in the third round and at nine-under-par 207, is one ahead of Lora Fairclough (67), Janice Moodie (71) and Mi Hyun Kim (71).

Heavy rainfall soaked the Old Course at Sunningdale late in the round on Saturday and play was delayed after the final group reached the 16th hole.

That would be two holes too late for Matthew. As rain pounded the golf course, Matthew three-putted for bogey at the 15th, the same hole she aced on Friday.

Matthew drove into a bunker at the par-four 16th and could not advance her ball onto the green with her second shot. She landed the ball eight feet from the hole for her third, but she missed the putt and took a second bogey in a row.

After the 16th, officials sounded the horn and play was halted.

"On 16 I had about an eight-footer for par and by the time he had squeegeed it and the time I was ready to putt, it was wet again," said Matthew.

Play resumed 40 minutes later and Matthew parred the 17th hole. She reached the green in regulation at 18 but missed a four-foot par save and was left with a one-shot lead.

"I'm not particularly happy, especially three-putting the last," said Matthew, who has yet to win a major championship. "But it's one of those things. I've still got a one-shot lead and I've got to look at that as a positive."

The players were commenting on the timing of when the decision was made to stop play.

"There was a lot of water coming up so we could have been called in, maybe one hole earlier," noted Moodie, who is also seeking her first major championship on the LPGA Tour. "I am just happy because I had a great finish."

Moodie birdied the 17th hole in the heavy rain before play was called.

Matthew made two birdies on her front nine and then drove the green at the par-four 267-yard ninth hole. She ran home her 20-foot eagle try but found trouble after making the turn.

Matthew held a five-shot lead at the midway point but pushed her tee shot behind trees at 11 and then flew her second over the green and failed to save par. Matthew went right off the tee at the next hole and once again posted a bogey, dropping her lead to three.

Fairclough was flawless on Saturday with five birdies and no bogeys.

Kim bogeyed the 16th in the downpour but responded with a birdie at 17 and she is in the hunt for her first major championship and first title this season.

Karrie Webb carded a four-under 68 on Saturday and is now seven-under for the tournament and in contention for her third major of 2001. She captured the U.S. Women's Open and LPGA Championship already and now stands only two shots from the lead.

Webb can join Babe Zaharias (1950) and Pat Bradley (1986) as the only women to win three major championships in one season.

"The only difference from the first day to these last two is I really haven't got into any trouble and I've hit a lot of greens," said Webb, who struggled to an opening-round 74 after participating in the Battle at Bighorn Monday night. "I'm just managing my game very well. I don't feel I'm right at the top of my game but I'm managing the swings and avoiding really bad misses."

Trish Johnson of England posted an even-par 72 and is tied with Webb at minus- seven.

Laura Davies and Rosie Jones share seventh place at six-under-par 210.

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