GOLF ROUNDUP Saturday’s other events

March 8, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

LPGA HSBC Champions

SINGAPORE — Australia’s Katherine Hull had seven birdies en route to a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over Angela Stanford after the third round of the HSBC Women’s Champions. Hull, who won the Australian Ladies Masters last month, had an 11-under 205 total on the Tanah Merah Country Club, where play was suspended for 2 hours, 19 minutes because of lighting and heavy rain. “I’m liking the fact I have a two-shot lead, and I’m confident in how I’m playing,” Hull said. “So game on.” Sun Young Yoo (68) was one shot ahead of Korean compatriot Mi Hyun Kim (70), with second round co-leader American Paula Creamer (72) five strokes off the lead. Stanford shot a bogey-free 66 to move into position for her fourth victory in her last nine starts. The sixth-ranked Texan won the season-opening SBS Open in Hawaii after closing last season with two victories in her final six events. In addition to the three wins, she has five other top-seven finishes in her last eight tournaments. Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, the defending champion coming off her 25th LPGA Tour victory last week in Thailand, shot a 69 to top a group 5 under. Hall of Famer Juli Inkster (69), fifth-ranked Jiyai Shin (66), Amy Yang (69) and Jane Park also were 5 under.

Champions Toshiba Classic

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Mark O’Meara shot a 5-under 66 to grab a share of the lead with Bernhard Langer at the Toshiba Classic on Saturday. Eduardo Romero (68) of Argentina is one stroke behind at 8-under 134 and Denis Watson (68) from Zimbabwe is at 7 under.

O’Meara, who won 16 PGA Tour events — including two majors — is winless on the Champions Tour in 33 starts. “It would mean so much to win, especially here,” said O’Meara, who grew up about 20 miles away in Mission Viejo and played high school golf matches at Newport Beach Country Club. “It was a rough ride last year out here, but I have it straightened out again.” O’Meara replaced all of his woods this week and is ninth in driving distance and 12th in total driving. He hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in the second round. Langer, who began the day with a one-stroke lead, was even par through 14 holes, but played the last four holes 3 under, including birdies on 17 and 18, finishing with a 68. O’Meara is tied for 15th in putting but of the four golfers at the top, only O’Meara hasn’t won on the Champions Tour.

Associated Press