Els finishes strong to remain at the top at Bay Hill

Associated Press

ORLANDO, FLA.

Winless for two years, Ernie Els put himself in position Saturday for his second straight victory.

Els made sure the last two holes did not unravel a solid day of work at Bay Hill. He made a 10-foot putt to save par on the 18th hole for a 3-under 69, giving him a one-shot lead over Ben Curtis in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Two weeks after his four-shot victory at Doral that ended the longest drought of his career, Els broke 70 for the third straight round at Bay Hill and was at 10-under 206. Els last won at Bay Hill in 1998 when he dominated Tiger Woods and Davis Love III in the final group of a 36-hole Sunday.

Ben Curtis had a two-shot lead until he chopped up the par-5 16th hole from 60 yards short of the green. He bladed a wedge some 70 feet long and three-putted for bogey on the easiest hole at Bay Hill. Then, he went long on the par-3 17th and chipped off the green for another bogey. Curtis had to make a 6-foot par putt on the 18th to keep it together with a 70, leaving him one shot behind.

KIA Classic

CARLSBAD, CALIF.

Hee Kyung Seo shot a 3-under 69 Saturday to widen her lead to five strokes after three rounds of the inaugural Kia Classic.

Seo, a South Korean who is not a member of the LPGA Tour, received one of the three sponsor’s exemptions to get into the tournament.

Taiwan’s Candie Kung was second.

Michelle Wie, who is trying to win her second LPGA event, shot a 1-over 73 and is tied with China’s Shanshan Feng for third place, six strokes back. Feng shot a 68, tied for best round of the day with Cristie Kerr and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist.

Seo began the day with a one-stroke lead, but started her round with her second bogey of the tournament. She came back with four birdies.