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Golf is a game in which a player using special clubs attempts to sink a small ball with as few strokes as possible into each of the 9 or 18 successive holes on an outdoor golf course.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Pettersen claims share of World Championship lead

PALM DESERT, California, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Norway's Suzann Pettersen birdied the last four holes to join title-holder Lorena Ochoa in a tie for the lead in the World Championship third round on Saturday.

Pettersen, who edged out Ochoa in a playoff for last week's Longs Drugs Challenge, carded a sparkling eight-under-par 64 at Bighorn Golf Club.

The big-hitting 26-year-old piled up nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the par-four second for a 12-under total of 204.

"I've been playing well all week and yesterday I felt a little robbed not making my putts," Pettersen told reporters after holing 20-footers to birdie the 16th and 17th.

"Today I kept hitting good golf shots and giving myself the chances and finally some putts dropped at the end, so patience is good to have."

Pettersen, who won her first major title at the LPGA Championship in June, planned to relax as much as possible before Sunday's final round.

"It was a nice way to finish today but tomorrow is a new day," she said. "We are going to play early again so I will relax this afternoon, take some hours off by the pool and just kind of get the batteries loaded."

Ochoa, one ahead of the chasing pack overnight, surrendered the outright lead with a bogey at the last for a 69.

FOUR CLEAR

The Mexican world number one, hunting her seventh LPGA title of the year, briefly forged four shots clear after covering the front nine in four-under 32.

However, she slipped back after the turn, sandwiching bogeys at the 11th and 18th around a lone birdie at the 12th.

"I'm a little bit frustrated right now with that driver again on 18," Ochoa said after pushing her tee shot at the last into a bush and taking a unplayable lie. "Probably tomorrow I won't hit my driver there.

"The important thing is I'm in the last group. I'm in a good position to win the tournament and I want to make sure I am get here 100 percent ready."

LPGA rookie of the year Angela Park of South Korea carded a 69 to share third place at 11 under with compatriots Jang Jeong (68) and Kim Mi-hyun (67).

Although American teenager Michelle Wie fired her best score of the week with a 77, she remained rooted to the bottom of the leaderboard in the elite field of 20.

Playing on a sponsor's invite after a dismal 2007 campaign hampered by a wrist injury and highlighted by just two LPGA cuts in seven starts, Wie piled up four bogeys, one triple-bogey and two birdies for a 19-over total of 235.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Las Vegas)

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