Sorenstam opens two shot advantage

Annika Sorenstam shot a 7-under-par 65 to separate herself from some would-be rivals, taking a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Safeway Ping tournament.

Sorenstam, the most dominant player in women's golf with 11 LPGA wins last year, birdied three of her first four holes and nine overall Saturday to get to 18-under through three rounds at the Moon Valley Country Club.

It was a familiar position for Sorenstam, who has led after three rounds for three years in a row. And it could have been better had she not taken four strokes to get in from just off the green on No. 10, and missed a short birdie putt on 18.

``All the pieces are really falling together,'' Sorenstam said. ``I'm where I want to be and my game's where I want it to be.''

Sorenstam, who has improved by one shot each day, was two strokes ahead of ebullient Frenchwoman Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, one of her playing partners.

Two more strokes back at 15-under were Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak and Grace Park.

Sorenstam started the day in a four-way tie with Webb, Pak and Meunier-Lebouc, none of whom had much hope Sorenstam would blow a third-round lead this year like she did in 2002 in the same tournament.

``I have to shoot in the low 60s tomorrow to have a chance,'' Webb said. ``She's not making any mistakes.''

Actually, Sorenstam counted a pair of mistakes on a day when the ball was flying down the fairways and the greens were putting true.

With no rough on the course, it was a combination made for scoring.

``This course has shown you can shoot low,'' said Sorenstam, who shot a historic 59 here two years ago. ``Things are just perfect out there.''

But the most fun was being had by Meunier-Lebouc, who cheerfully made her way around the Moon Valley course seemingly not intimidated by two playing partners who have 70 LPGA wins between them.

The French player, in her third year on the LPGA Tour, matched Sorenstam with three birdies over the first four holes and was tied with her at 15-under at the turn.

``I'm really enjoying playing golf at the moment,'' Meunier-Lebouc said. ``It's like I opened the door and I have many things to discover.''

A 5-foot birdie putt on the par-5 10th and Sorenstam's troubles around the green after a second shot went over the green briefly gave Meunier-Lebouc a two-shot lead. But she made two bogeys coming in before finishing with a birdie on the final hole.

Still, she was as happy as could be after shooting 67.

``I think I have more fun than most of the girls out there,'' Meunier-Lebouc said. ``Life is short. I'm not going to speak badly to myself anymore.''

Webb had a frustrating finish to her day, missing the green on the 18th hole with a wedge, then missing a 5-footer for par that gave her a 68.

Webb was the dominant player on the tour before Sorenstam won 19 times over the last two years. But even she began to wonder just how good Sorenstam is after the Swede birdied the first two holes and had a 10-footer for birdie on the third.

``I said to my caddie that if she makes this shot she can still shoot 54,'' Webb said. ``Obviously, Annika is riding a lot of confidence in herself.''

One reason Sorenstam is so confident is she rarely has more than a wedge to any of the greens on a 6,459-yard course that is playing much shorter. Five of her birdies were set up with wedges, while two others came after she hit par-5s in two.

Sorenstam had trouble playing the back tees the weekend before at Colonial, where she will play with the men in May, and with Tiger Woods in Florida. On a short course against her fellow women, though, she seems unbeatable.

``I always play better when it counts,'' Sorenstam said.

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