Furyk Seeks Better Ending This Time

Jim Furyk did just enough on a rain-softened course at Charlotte, N.C., to shoot a four-under-par 68 Saturday, giving him a one-shot lead over South Africans Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman and a good chance to redeem a bitter playoff loss a year ago at the Wachovia Championship.

“I’m happy with the way I played,” said Furyk, who was at 11-under 205 and was the only player to shoot in the 60s all three days. “I’m happy to be out front at this point. I’ve got another round of golf tomorrow, and I need to attack the golf course again and try to post one more good round.”

Goosen made seven birdies on the back nine at Quail Hollow for a 65. Immelman birdied the 18th for a 66.

Bo Van Pelt had a three-shot lead going into the third round, but he shot a 73 that allowed several players into the mix.

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Angela Stanford, who had her only LPGA victory in 2003, shot a six-under 66 to build a four-shot lead after three rounds of the Franklin American Mortgage Championship at Franklin, Tenn.

A stroke ahead entering play Saturday on the Vanderbilt Legends Club’s Ironhorse Course, Stanford had 27 putts in a seven-birdie, one-bogey round that featured five straight birdies to put her at 18-under 198.

“People say when you’ve won it seems like it should be easier when you’re in that position,” Stanford said. “But it’s been three years since I won. I’m a big believer in you have to learn how to win. I feel like I might be learning all over again almost.”

Cristie Kerr (66) and Sophie Gustafson (68) were tied at 202.

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Mark McNulty shot a five-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead over Dick Mast and Brad Bryant into the final round of the Champions Tour’s Regions Charity Classic at Birmingham, Ala.

McNulty, who finished at 10-under 134, hasn’t finished higher than 10th in eight events this season but is hardly the biggest underdog still fighting for first place.

That distinction belongs to Mast, who had a 66 and is trying to become the first Monday qualifier to win since Pete Oakley in the 2004 Senior British Open.

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Michelle Wie’s first chance to play a post-cut round in a men’s professional tournament was washed out.

Heavy rain and strong wind forced the postponement of the third round of the SK Telecom Open at Incheon, South Korea, where the 16-year-old American is six strokes off the lead.

Because of the delay, the Asian Tour event was shortened from 72 holes to 54.