Saturday’s pro golf

PGA SAFEWAY OPEN

NAPA, CALIF.

Johnson Wagner chipped in for birdie, and wound up taking a one-shot lead in the Safeway Open by keeping bogeys off his card as the rain began to pound Silverado. Wagner was at 15-under par through 15 holes when the third round was halted by the wet conditions. The course was playing so long and tough at that point that Wagner hit a driver and a fairway metal and still had a 9-iron for his third shot. Scott Piercy, who had led from his opening 62 that set the course record, was one shot behind and just short of the par-5 16th in three shots when he told officials he couldn’t continue. The front of the green was one big puddle, and it wasn’t getting any better. Patton Kizzire also was 14 under through 16 holes. Paul Casey, in the final group with Wagner and Piercy, was two shots behind. Casey hit a tee shot on the par-5 fifth hole that clipped a tree, ricocheted somewhere and was never found, costing him two shots. Phil Mickelson hit a wild tee shot on the par-5 18th in the rain and made bogey for a 69, leaving him six back. They were still in the game, mainly because of the rain. Shots became longer. Putts became more difficult to hole. The players still on the course, which included Martin Laird at 12 under through 16 holes, were to return Sunday morning. Starting times for the final round already have been pushed well forward because of more rain in the forecast.

LPGA KEB HANABANK CHAMPIONSHIP

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA

Alison Lee took a three-stroke lead in the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship, putting the 21-year-old UCLA student in position for her first victory. Lee shot a 4-under 68 in calm and firm conditions Sky 72, saving par on 17 and birdieing 18 to stretch her margin over U.S. Women’s Open champion Brittany Lang, her U.S. Solheim Cup teammate. Playing her second season on the tour while remaining in college, Lee had a 13-under 203 total on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course. She also had a three-stroke lead after an opening 65, and began the day a stroke behind Lang after a second-round 70. Lang followed her second-round 65 with a 72. Lee rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 14th to birdie the 15th. A day after chipping in for eagle on the short par 4, she hit a full approach that tracked across the green to 4 feet of the back pin. After missing a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th, she got an 8-foot comebacker to drop for par on the par-3 17th. She made a 4-footer on the par-5 18th. South Korea’s In-Kyung Kim, the winner two weeks ago in China in the first of six straight events in Asia, was third at 9 under after a 69. She also won a Ladies European Tour event in Germany last month.

Associated Press