Scranton stays ahead at AFLAC tournament

Nancy Scranton held the lead in the AFLAC Champions in Mobile, Alabama, for the third straight day. Now, though, she has to share the top spot on the leaderboard.

Nancy Scranton held the lead in the AFLAC Champions in Mobile, Alabama, for the third straight day. Now, though, she has to share the top spot on the leaderboard.

Sherri Steinhauer, Scranton's teammate on the U.S. Solheim Cup team, birdied four of the last five holes in Saturday's third round for an 8-under-par 64. That moved her alongside Scranton at 14-under 202 in the LPGA's Tournament of Champions at Magnolia Grove's Crossings Course.

"It was one of those days where everything felt good and I just stayed out of my own way," said Steinhauer, who tied the tournament and course records set by Maria Hjorth in last year's second round.

"I didn't even realize I was making so many birdies in a row until I was writing my score and I was like, 'Hey, that's three in a row.' Then I birdied 16 and it was 'Whoa, that's four in a row.' It was fun."

Scranton's string of birdies at Nos. 14, 15 and 16 gave her a 68.

"I was a little shaky in the middle of the round but then I got it back and played really well down the stretch," said Scranton, who led after each of the first two rounds. "I felt like my alignment was getting off so I started having my caddy line me up and I started hitting my irons like I did the first two days."

Karrie Webb, who also shot a 68, is just two shots behind. If she finishes in the top 10, she'll clinch the LPGA Player of the Year award. And if she wins the dlrs 122,000 first prize, she will have a chance to become the first woman to win dlrs 2 million in a year.

"I'm two back with a chance to win," Webb said. "What more can you ask for? I have to go out tomorrow and play good golf, probably 4 or 5 under. I've won leading and I've won coming from behind so I don't mind being in the next to last group."

Dottie Pepper and Beth Daniel, two other members of the U.S. Solheim Cup team are at 10 under. Pepper had a 68 on Saturday, while Daniel shot 69.

Leading 3rd scores & totals in the AFLAC Champions, at Magnolia Grove, Mobile, Alabama - (Par 72)

202 S Steinhauer 68 70 64, N Scranton 65 69 68 204 K Webb 69 67 68 206 B Daniel 68 69 69, D Pepper 71 67 68 207 B Mucha 66 71 70 208 P Hurst 70 67 71, R Hetherington 75 66 67 209 M Redman 69 68 72 211 P Sinn 71 69 71, A Nicholas 71 68 72, K Kuehne 67 72 72, S Gustafson 70 72 69, L Kean 67 73 71 212 L Davies 73 67 72, M Hyun Kim 69 70 73, Se Ri Pak, B Burton 70 71 71 213 J Moodie 70 72 71, P Bradley 72 72 69, D Andrews 70 73 70 214 R Jones 67 72 75