Scott leads by three in Byron Nelson PGA championship

Adam Scott, of Australia, watches his approach shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Byron Nelson Championship golf tournament in Irving, Texas, on Saturday. PHOTO: AP

Australia’s Adam Scott birdied two of the last three holes here on Saturday to stretch his lead to three strokes after the third round of the US$6.4 million PGA Byron Nelson Championship.

Scott fired a three-under par 67 to stand on eight-under par 208 after 54 holes, three strokes ahead of a US foresome that includes Bart Bryant, Kevin Sutherland, Ryan Moore and Charley Hoffman.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia fired a 65 to stand another shot off the pace at 206 along with American Dudley Hart and Sweden’s Jesper Parnevik.

Scott, the highest-ranked player in the field at 10th in the world, took a bogey at the par-three second hole, answered with birdies at the fourth and fifth but gave back another stroke with a bogey at the eighth.

■ US LPGA

AP, AVENTURA, FLORIDA

Annika Sorenstam struggled with her putting Saturday, yet shot a 1-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Paula Creamer after three rounds of the Stanford International Pro-Am.

Sorenstam, seeking her 71st victory on the US women’s golf tour, has won five straight events when she’s taken a one-shot lead into the final round.

She chipped in for birdie on the second hole, then made 12 consecutive pars before a bogey at the par-3 15th. Her putter finally cooperated at 17, knocking down a birdie at the short par-3. And on the 18th Sorenstam sunk a difficult par putt to hang on to the lead.