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Daniel shares her lead with Inkster

South Korea's Jang Jeong hits a drive on the first green during the third round of the LPGA Canadian Women's Open in Vancouver, Saturday. PHOTO: AP

Juli Inkster shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday in the rain-delayed third round of the Canadian Women's Open for a share of the lead with Beth Daniel.

Inkster, who won the Corning Classic in May for her 29th LPGA Tour title, birdied the fourth and fifth holes before the rain started, then came back after a 1-hour, 40-minute delay and immediately sank a lengthy birdie putt on the par-4 sixth. The 43-year-old star added birdies on the par-3 15th and par-5 18th.

Daniel shot her third straight 69 to match Inkster at 9-under 207. Daniel, 46, birdied the second, 11th, and 15th holes -- all par 3s. The 23-year LPGA veteran heads into the final round Sunday looking for her 33rd career victory, but first since 1995.

Daniel and Inkster -- both LPGA and World Hall of Fame members -- were the only two players without a bogey Saturday.

Kim Saiki was three strokes back after a 69.

After a week of warm, sunny weather, the clouds started to roll in Saturday morning and the sky opened up around 3:20pm, about and hour after the leaders teed off. Within minutes everyone -- and everything -- at Point Grey Golf and Country Club was soaked.

"It was a long day, raining, the golf course is tough and then we get wet," said Pak Se-ri, who played the final six holes after the rain delay. "I don't think it was fun."

Pak shot a 68 to join Grace Park (69), Donna Andrews (69), Janice Moodie (73) and Heather Bowie (72) at 4-under 212.

Johanna Head tied Inkster for the low round Saturday with a 67 that left her at 3 under.

"I had two holes to play [after the delay] and on the 17th my ball just stopped within three inches so the greens are getting softer," Head said. "I think the rough will be quite tough as well."

Moodie started the day one shot behind Daniel, but had a double-bogey on the first hole after the rain delay, and bogeyed the next two holes to fall back. She had two birdies on the back nine to get back to 4 under.

Perry has six on his tail

Kenny Perry leads six others by one stroke at the Greater Milwaukee Open after three rounds at 8 under par, a low score for one of the shortest courses on the PGA Tour.

But rain, winds and a change of a par-5 hole to par-4 with the removal of a large oak tree have made things tougher this year at the 6,759-yard Brown Deer Park course.

The fairways on the par-70 layout were soft, the pin placement was difficult and the notoriously thick rough is putting the US Open to shame.

"I think it's just a combination of everything," Perry said Saturday. "It's all showing. The scores are not very good."

Perry, who finished in the top five each of the last three years at the GMO, grabbed the lead at 202 with a 4-under 66.

Brenden Pappas, who carded a 63, was among the half-dozen golfers one stroke behind. Jay Don Blake (71), the 36-hole leader, also was at 203, along with Jerry Kelly (70), Heath Slocum (68), Steve Allan (68) and Patrick Sheehan (70).

Shigeki Maruyama (69), who won here two years ago, is two strokes back at 204, and six players are three shots off the pace.

"The course played harder the first two days, but nobody really did anything," Blake said. "I feel fortunate that I'm still in it just a stroke back."

The rain and wind that hampered play the first two days lightened up Saturday, and sun and light breezes seemed the perfect prescription for lower scores.

But the only golfer who made a big move was Pappas, who trimmed seven shots off the lead with his round.

"It was an interesting day. I caught fire at the end of the [front] nine," said Pappas, whose best finish in 44 PGA Tour events was third at this year's Chrysler Classic of Tucson

"I thought with 5 or 6 under I would get within shouting distance of the lead," Pappas said. "Mission accomplished."

He and Jeff Gallagher (67) were the only two golfers out of 80 who shot bogey-free rounds.

Perry was having a mediocre round himself -- even-par through 10 holes -- before collecting four birdies to jump into the lead.

"I couldn't seem to get much going, but I just told myself to be patient, keep hanging in there," Perry said. "My goal was to stay within two shots of the lead to have a shot Sunday.

"And the next thing you know, I made four birdies on the back nine, birdied three in a row on 15, 16 and 17," Perry said. "I look up and I got the lead of the tournament. It's kind of crazy."

Twenty-eight players are within five shots of the lead.

"It's going to take a 4 or 5 under for me tomorrow to win this thing because I think that with everybody bunched around like this, somebody's going to shoot a good round," Perry said.

Kelly said he bets that will be Perry, who won the Colonial and Memorial tournaments this year and has won four times in the 10 tournaments he's held a 54-hole lead.

"Kenny's going to make some birdies. He is definitely the man to beat," Kelly said. "But if I would have done my job today, he would have been chasing me by at least three."

Kelly returned to his old putter, which broke during Friday's rain delay.

"I reattached the old putter last night," Kelly said. "I know it's a bit off, but it's good enough. I just misread some putts."
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