Trio lead into final round

Beth Daniel was 11 strokes worse than her opening round but that was enough to get her in a tie for the 36-hole lead with defending champion Annika Sörenstam and Cristie Kerr at the LPGA Safeway Classic on Saturday.

Daniel's 10-under 62 on Friday tied the course record at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club, set by Sörenstam last year, and gave her a four-stroke lead.

"I didn't hit the ball nearly as well as I did yesterday, and I putted pretty poorly," Daniel said after the 73 left her at 9-under 135, tied with Sörenstam, who had a 67, and Kerr, who had a 69.

Daniel, an LPGA Hall of Famer who became the tour's oldest winner in July at 46, didn't have a birdie, but she did eagle No. 7, a short par 5, hitting a 5-wood within 9 feet.

But on par-4 9th, she hit her drive left and was forced to punch out from under a tree, then three-putted for a double bogey.

Sörenstam was consistent as she goes for her fifth win of the year.

"I thought 4 under was a good, solid round," Sörenstam said. "I three-putted twice yesterday but I didn't do that today."

Kerr was still fighting a cold but mixed five birdies with two bogeys in gaining a share of the lead.

"I'm a little worn out," Kerr said. "I didn't hit the ball nearly as well as I did yesterday."

Everybody was fighting the wind by early afternoon, along with temperatures in the mid-90s and plenty of early fall debris on the greens, including dead leaves, pine cones and dried branches full of needles from the towering Douglas firs and other evergreens lining the fairways.

On No. 8, a par-3 nestled against a small lake, Daniel saw her putt jump nearly 6 inches in the air after it struck a whirling maple seed that landed right in her line as she started her birdie putt.

"It was a pretty tough day to play today, with the wind and all the stuff on the greens," Daniel said.

"With the big trees out there, it's hard to tell how much the wind is going to affect the ball. It's tough on a golf course like this that's very tight."

Soo-Yun Kang and Leta Lindley had 69s and were at 137, while Grace Park (72) was another stroke back.

Michelle Wie, the 13-year-old from Hawaii, shot a 72 and was at 3 under.

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