Paula Creamer takes over lead with 66

Despite closing with two bogeys, Paula Creamer moved closer to clinching LPGA rookie of the year honors by shooting a 6-under 66 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds at the Wendy's Championship for Children.

Creamer, who won the Sybase and Evian tournaments earlier this year, can lock up the rookie title with a win. That would give her an insurmountable lead over Meena Lee in the points standings that determine the award.

The 19-year-old was at 16-under 200 after three rounds at Tartan Fields Golf Club, one shot in front of Cristie Kerr and Soo-Yun Kang. Kerr matched Creamer's 66, while Kang shot a 69.

Creamer began the day two shots behind co-leaders Kang and defending champion Catriona Matthew. She took the lead with birdies on her first three holes. She added birdies at Nos. 7, 11 and 12 to build a two-stroke lead. She added another birdie at the 16th, then encountered problems down the stretch.

She overshot the green on the par-3 17th, chipped back and missed a 12-footer for par. At the par-4 18th, her second shot was on the green but on the bottom tier. Her first putt came up 4 feet short and she missed the par putt.

Kerr played solid if unspectacular bogey-free golf, opening with a birdie and then twice had consecutive birdies.

Kang had four birdies and a bogey in her 69 as she tried to win for the second straight week. She won the Safeway Classic by four strokes last week.

Tied at 202 were Pat Hurst (67) and Michele Redman (68). Redman is a native of Zanesville, Ohio, about 60 miles from the course.

At 203 were Lorena Ochoa (67), Amy Hung (68) and Karrie Webb (70).

Laura Davies matched the competitive course record with a 63 that left her four shots back along with Sophie Gustafson, who had a 64.

Annika Sorenstam, chasing her seventh win of the year, eagled the par-5 9th to draw within two shots of Creamer. But after they traded birdies at No. 11, Sorenstam fell back with a costly bogey at No. 14.

It was her first bogey of the tournament, ending a string of 49 holes without one and matching her own season-best on tour.

After playing the first 11 holes 5 under, she was 3 over on the last five, with two bogeys and a double at the par-4 16th when she hit her 7-iron approach into the water fronting the green.

Sorenstam's 69 left her in a group of seven at 205.

Like the leader, U.S. Women's Amateur champion Morgan Pressel also bogeyed the final two holes for a 71 that put her at 208. Matthew wilted with a 77 and was at 209.

Midway through the round, play was suspended for 2 hours, 47 minutes because of heavy rains which caused the greens to be unplayable.

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