Lunke takes over lead into last round

The pressure of the U.S. Women's Open was creeping up on Hilary Lunke from all sides Saturday.

She made two straight bogeys to fall into a share of the lead, and faced a downhill putt from 10 feet on the par-3 15th to save par. Even more intimidating was seeing Annika Sörenstam post a 4-under 67, leaving her only two strokes behind.

The 24-year-old with a master's degree from Stanford passed her first big test.

Lunke made the clutch par, then got a lucky bounce and made birdie on the next hole to shoot 3-under 68, giving her a one-stroke lead going over former Curtis Cup teammate Angela Stanford going into the final round at Pumpkin Ridge.

"That was the key point in the round," Lunke said. "I was thrilled to make the putt I did on 15, and thrilled to get the bounce I did on 16."

Stanford, coming off her first LPGA victory last week at the ShopRite Classic, finished with a birdie on 18th hole for a 69.

Sörenstam had only the second bogey-free round on the Witch Hollow course and moved up 22 places into a tie for third, just three strokes behind. She was tied with Jeong Jang (69), Mhari McKay (75) and 17-year-old Aree Song (68).

"I know how to react under these conditions," Sörenstam said. "I'm happy where I'm at. I would like to be in my shoes tomorrow, and play my golf."

Now comes the final exam for Lunke.

An LPGA Tour rookie who has never finished higher than 20th, Lunke goes after the biggest prize in women's golf by playing behind the best player in the world.

Lunke was at 5-under 211, and will try to become the first rookie since Se Ri Pak in the 1998 LPGA Championship to make her first victory a major.

She was one of only six players who remained under par on an overcast day that sent other players spiraling out of contention.

McKay lost her four-stroke lead after four holes and shot 75. Juli Inkster bogeyed four of the first five holes on the back nine and shot 74. Beth Daniel shot 77.

In their place were some untested players - including a teenager - and a familiar name in contention at a major championship.

Sörenstam kept making pars and the occasional birdie, and every time she saw a leaderboard, her name and number was closer to the top.

"I'm very pleased where I'm at," Sörenstam said. "I played some great golf today and I putted really well. So with that going in to tomorrow, I think I'm in great shape."

So is Lunke.

Not only does she have the lead, she gets to watch Sörenstam in the group ahead instead of having her alongside for what's sure to be a pressure-packed day. That's why she was rooting for Stanford to make par on the final hole, putting her in the final group.

"I've played with Annika once before in a U.S. Open and I couldn't breathe for the first seven holes," Lunke said. "It was a little relief to be paired with Angela."

Stanford also handled the pressure well, keeping the damage to a minimum on her missed shot and closing with a delicate pitch that checked up 3 feet from the hole on No. 18. She, too, was relieved to be paired with a friend instead of a dominating foe.

That won't make it any easier.

"I can't even place myself in my own head in the final group," Stanford said. "I can't even believe it's happening."

Inkster again started strong with two birdies on the first four holes to take the lead - one of four women who had at least a share of the lead at one point. She was on top going to the back nine, but it unraveled quickly for the seven-time major champion.

"I just had some bad shots out there," Inkster said. "My swing didn't feel that bad. You know, I've got one more round out there tomorrow, and I know I can play well out there."

Lunke figured she would buckle, too, especially standing over that 10-foot par putt.

She holed that, then hit a fairway metal that hopped out of the thick rough, caught a ridge and stopped 3 feet away on No. 16 for birdie.

Inkster was among 10 players within six shots of the lead, which might not be much considering the lack of experience at the top.

Then again, Sörenstam changes the dynamics.

"She's the best player in the world and you expect the best player in the world to show up on Sunday," Stanford said.

After waking up with a sore throat and feeling a little weak, Sörenstam let her natural talent run its course and wound up with a good chance to win her second major of the year.

Back-to-back birdies got her to even par, and she kept plugging away, careful not to make mistakes and lose momentum. Her best shot came on the tough 14th, where an 8-iron to a slick green that runs away from her trickled to 3 feet.

Playing well ahead of the leaders, she saw a scoreboard that had her only one stroke behind, stoking the fire. She sensed the occasion with a 6-foot par putt on the 17th, repeatedly jabbing her fist.

"I felt pumped with that putt, knowing I was one behind at that point," she said.

Still, Sörenstam says experience can be misleading. After all, her first LPGA victory came at the 1995 U.S. Women's Open.

Perhaps that's what awaits Lunke and Stanford, or maybe even Song, one of the 14 teenagers who started the week at Pumpkin Ridge.

Song played in the final group at the Nabisco Championship three years ago when she was 13, and she learned some lessons from that.

"Just keep focused is the main thing," Song said. "Not worry about my score of what the lead is, not looking at the leaderboard."

Can she win?

"Maybe," Song said.

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