GOLF Teske birdies her way to one-shot lead

She came from two strokes back to fire a 66 in the third round.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Rachel Teske had five birdies on the back nine -- including four on the last five holes -- and finished with a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead after three rounds of the LPGA Samsung World Championship.
Se Ri Pak, the leader after two rounds, was one back along with Beth Daniel. Annika Sorenstam, who shot a third-round 68, was two strokes off the pace heading into today's final round at the Tournament Players Course at The Woodlands, just north of Houston.
The Australian-born Teske, looking for her third LPGA victory this year, started the day at 5-under and two shots back of Pak.
Back-to-back birdies
Teske three-putted the par-4 second hole for bogey, then rolled in back-to-back birdies at Nos. 5 and 6. She made a 3-footer for birdie at the 11th and a 12-footer at the par-3 No. 14 to give her a share of the lead at 8-under.
At the par-5 15th, she chipped from about 10 yards to 5 feet from the hole and made it for birdie, then holed out from a bunker at No. 16 for another birdie. Teske finished by converting a 10-footer for birdie at 18 to give her a three-round total of 205.
Daniel, also was two shots behind Pak when play began, birdied the par-4 second hole, then had back-to-back birdies at Nos. 5 and 6 to get to 8-under and a share of the lead. She had the lead alone when her 3-footer for birdie at the No. 9 went in, but missed a short putt at the par-4, 385-yard No. 10 for a bogey before a 24-foot putt from the back fringe of the 15th green went in for eagle. She finished with three straight pars for her 5-under 67.
PGA
LAS VEGAS -- Stuart Appleby made three straight birdies on the back nine and shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead after the fourth round of the Las Vegas Invitational.
Appleby, chasing his first tour win since 1999, is at 28-under 259 heading into today's final round of the 90-hole tournament.
Steve Flesch, who started the day in a tie for the lead with Scott Verplank, shot 68 and is a stroke behind Appleby at 260.
Scott McCarron, who has never won the tournament despite contending several times, is three shots back after a 5-under 67. Robert Allenby (66) is four shots behind Appleby.
Low scores common
Scores in the low 60s were common through the first three rounds. Things got back to normal in the fourth round with tougher pin placements at the TPC at Summerlin course.
That didn't slow down Appleby, who consistently hit big drives that found the middle of the fairway and left him with short irons to the green.
He had nine birdies and three bogeys and kept the lead by getting up and down for par on the par-3 17th. His tee shot went left of the green, the ball coming to rest a couple of yards short of the water. From there, he hit a lob wedge to 3 feet and made the putt.