Moodie holds lead after rain delay

Janice Moodie hung tough through a five-hour rain delay and an early charge by Laura Davies to keep the top spot in the Asahi Ryokuken International on Saturday.

The Scot might have something even more difficult coming at her Sunday -- Annika Sorenstam.

Moodie was 11 under, three shots ahead of Davies, when the third round was suspended because of darkness at Mount Vintage Plantation. But right as the horn sounded at 8:08 p.m., Sorenstam posted her second straight birdie to move with five strokes at 6 under.

It was only last week that Sorenstam, two shots behind leader Natalie Gulbis when the final round started, fired a 64 to win the Aerus Electrolux USA Championship.

``When Annika's there, she's obviously in it because she can pretty much shoot what she likes,'' Davies said. ``She's proved that before.''

Many, many times before. Sorenstam has rallied to victory in the final round twice already this season and 12 times in her LPGA career.

``I am very happy because I played solid out there,'' Sorenstam said. ``I am very happy and proud of our officials that they made every effort to get this round in.''

There are 39 players who must finish the third round. Moodie and Davies have five holes left. Sorenstam has four. Between them at 7-under are Grace Park and Catriona Matthew. Park has five holes to go and Matthew three.

Moodie, a 28-year-old fifth year pro, hopes she can use things she learned from playing two rounds with Sorenstam at the Electrolux tournament in this final round.

``She's such a great one to model yourself after out there,'' Moodie said. ``I just have to look to her and be as steady as she is.''

No one's been steadier than Moodie at Mount Vintage.

When they teed off in a late-afternoon drizzle, Moodie was two strokes ahead of Davies. But Davies quickly wiped the lead with birdie putts of 7 feet on the second and 6 feet on the third hole.

On the first hole, Moodie drove into some right side trees. But chipped out to safety, knocked her approach within 6 feet and saved par.

Moodie, now tied with Davies, missed the green on the fifth hole and again saved par with a testy 5-footer.

Then Moodie found her stroke, even outgambling the game-loving Davies on the par-5 sixth hole to take control.

``Janice really showed her true metal out there,'' Davies said.

Moodie, hitting first, sent her 7-wood approach across the creek and over a bunker to 4 feet from the cup to set up an eagle.

Davies, following Moodie's shot on No. 6, hit her approach on the fringe about 90 feet away. She could do no better than par and Moodie was again ahead by two.

Moodie increased the lead two holes later with a curving 13-foot birdie putt. Davies had driven wildly into a bunker, hit a second trap on her recovery and could not make her par try from 15 feet.

Things turned again on the par-5 ninth after Davies birdied from 3 feet away.

Moodie, meanwhile, was three-putting from 40 feet -- her first bogey in 33 holes at the difficult course -- and her lead was back to two shots.

Moodie closed strongly with a birdie on the 13th, her final hole to put her ahead of Davies by three.

Matthew made the biggest charge, moving from 1 under to 7 under.

On Saturday morning, it was 50-50 anyone would start the round. Nearly 1 1/2 inches of rain fell, creating wading pools in bunkers and rivers down the course's severe slopes.

Mount Vintage club manager Brian Thelan said Augusta National, about 12 miles across the state line, trucked over squeegees and cleanup equipment to make course playable.

Play was delayed five hours while a front that was expected to pass Friday night instead came through Saturday morning. Tournament officials first delayed the start until 11 a.m., then 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and finally 1:54 p.m.

Even as the first groups teed off, maintenance workers pumped out bunkers and swept away standing water.

Players were allowed to mark, lift, clean and replace their balls on the fairway.

``That means if you're in a bad lie, you stay in a bad lie,'' said Leta Lindley, 12 strokes back at 1 over.

The Chick-fil-A Championships earlier this month was shorted from 54 to 36 holes because of rain. Storms delayed the second round of last week's Aerus Electrolux USA Championships.

``Usually, when we come to town, it always rains,'' said Amy Fruhwirth, one of the lucky ones who finished, shooting a 68. ``If there's an area with adrought, the LPGA should be there.''

Divots

Lindley said waiting out the rain is an occupational hazard for pro golfers. ``But it's one of the times you wish your job was inside,'' she said. ... It's not the first time rain has affected this tournament or an LPGA event in South Carolina. Rain cut last year's inaugural Asahi Ryokuken from 72 to 54 holes. In 1999, severe weather along the Grand Strand sliced two rounds fromthe City of Hope Myrtle Beach Classic.

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