Saturday, July 16, 2005
Her even-par 72 puts her one stroke ahead of Angela Stanford.
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) -- Janice Moodie patiently worked her way through tricky wind conditions at picturesque Glen Arbour.
The 32-year-old Scot topped the Canadian Women's Open field for the third straight round Saturday, shooting an even-par 72 for a one-stroke lead over Angela Stanford.
"I'm really happy about the way I played," Moodie said. "It was more of a battle today with the wind and I think somebody sped up the greens."
Coming off a sixth-place tie Sunday in the English Open, Moodie had a 9-under 207 total. Stanford birdied the final hole for a 70, and Dorothy Delasin shot a 69 -- matching the best round of the day -- to join South Korea's Il Mi Chung (72) at 7 under.
Trying to end winless streak
Moodie, at ease in the media center two days after breaking down in tears thinking about her late father, is winless since the 2002 Asahi Ryokuken International. The two-time European Ryder Cup player also won the 2000 ShopRite LPGA Classic.
"I'll just try to do what I've done the last three days, just play the golf course," said Moodie, who had two birdies and two bogeys Saturday after finishing the first 36 holes with 10 birdies and just one bogey.
The swirling wind and tough pin positions made club selection difficult on the Graham Cooke-designed layout carved out of dense forest.
"With the trees and the gaps in the trees, you just don't know where it's coming from," Moodie said.
Hasn't won since 2003
Stanford also is trying to end a long victory drought. The 27-year-old Texan won the 2003 ShopRite event for her lone LPGA Tour title and lost a playoff to Hilary Lunke the following week in the U.S. Women's Open.
"It's been a long time since I've been one shot back going into the final round," Stanford said. "I don't know what to expect, but if I stick to my game plan, we should be OK. ... It'll be interesting to see how I react."
Stanford eagled the par-5 14th -- hitting a 4-iron to 5 feet -- to reach 8 under and countered a bogey on the par-3 17th with a birdie on the par-5 closing hole.
"I just drilled that 4-iron," she said.
Delasin had four birdies and a bogey and finished with seven straight pars. The 24-year-old Californian won the last of her four tour titles in 2003.
"The greens are getting harder because the wind is drying them out," Delasin said. "If Mother Nature is going to be nice, you'll see low scores. If she's going to howl, you'll see higher scores. It's pretty tough judging the wind because it swirls."
Mallon in contention
Defending champion Meg Mallon was 2 under after a 72 that included a triple-bogey 7 on No. 16. Last year, Mallon followed her U.S. Women's Open victory with a four-stroke win at the Legends on the Niagara. She also won the final du Maurier Classic in 2000 at Royal Ottawa and took the 2002 event at Summerlea near Montreal.
Canadian star Lorie Kane shot a 74 to drop to 4 over. She again had a large vocal gallery that included many fans from her native Prince Edward Island.
"I knew if the sun was shining and the beer was cold there'd be a some Islanders over here," Kane said. "I know I'm not leading, but I sure felt like I was."
She was paired with fellow Canadian Kareen Qually.
"Obviously, I've never played before that many people before," said Qually, a 30-year-old Futures Tour player from Alberta. "Lorie made it so easy to play with her. She's the epitome of class. It was an incredible experience."
Qually shot a 78 to finish at 8 over.
Dawn Coe-Jones was the low Canadian. She had a double-bogey 7 on No. 18 for a 76.