Inkster a day from Hall of Fame

Juli Inkster moved within one round of entering the LPGA Hall of Fame after shooting a 2-under 70 today to take a three-stroke lead in the Safeway LPGA Championship.

Inkster, who needs one more tour victory to secure her place in the Hall, was one of 15 players to break par Saturday on the Columbia Edgewater Country Club course.

Michele Redman had a second straight 70 and was second at 4-under 140.

Inkster was tied with Rosie Jones for the lead at 5 under entering the second round and four others were one stroke back. But Jones and the other pursuers all lost ground on a cool, blustery day.

Even Inkster had trouble early in her round with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4 to drop into a four-way tie for first at 4 under. But she rallied with birdies on Nos. 6 through 8 to move to 7 under and that gave her a two-shot lead over Beth Daniel.

At the same time, Jones was having trouble staying in the fairway. That led to a streak of three bogeys in four holes on the front side and knocked her well back into the pack. She added double bogeys on 13 and 17 and wound up a 79, tied for 25th place at 2-over 146.

Daniel also faltered and finished with a 72 and was at 1-under 143. That left Redman and Carin Koch as the closest pursuers by the end of the day.

Redman had two birdies on the front nine and added another at 18. Koch had three birdies midway through her round but finished with a 71 and was alone in third at 141.

Inkster added birdies on Nos. 12 and 17. Only bogeys on 9 and 18 kept her from taking an almost insurmountable lead heading into the final round.

Grace Park, who won the U.S. Amateur last year, had a 68 and was at 142 along with Se Ri Pak, last year's rookie of the year, who birdied four straight holes on the back side and shot a 67, the day's low round.