GOLF ROUNDUP : Lowery Shoots 66 Again and Leads World Series

Steve Lowery shot a second consecutive four-under-par 66 to take the lead Saturday in the third round of the NEC World Series of Golf at Akron, Ohio.

Lowery, 33, who gained entry to the event with the first victory of his career last week in the International, completed 54 holes over the North course at Firestone in 199.

He held a one-shot lead over Scott Hoch and was two strokes in front of John Huston.

Lowery used a late rush, sparked by an improbable birdie on the 14th hole.

After hitting his tee shot into a difficult position in a fairway bunker, he played an eight-iron to the green, then holed a 65-foot putt up and over a mound.

“Just a no-brainer,� he said. “I was just grinding not to three-putt.�

He followed with birdies on 16 and 17 that continued the hot streak he began last week.

Hoch had a run of his own, a burst of five consecutive birdies on the back, which he rode to a 65.

Huston shot a second consecutive 64, and Greg Norman, Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain, Mark McNulty of Zimbabwe and Brad Faxon were three shots off the lead at 202. Faxon and McNulty each shot 65, Olazabal 69 and Norman 68.

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Dave Stockton shot a six-under-par 66 and held a one-stroke lead over Tom Weiskopf at the Franklin Quest Championship, a 54-hole senior PGA event in Park City, Utah.

Weiskopf had a 67 and was at 135 for the 36 holes, tied with Bob Murphy, who had a second-round 66. Three shots behind the leaders were Bob Brue, Jack Kiefer and George Archer. Archer had a 66, Brue and Kiefer 67s.

Stockton is the defending champion over the 7,026-yard mountain course, setting a tournament record with a 199 total.

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Leigh Ann Mills shot a two-under-par 70 to join Liselotte Neumann, Michelle McGann and Martha Nause atop the leader board after three rounds of the LPGA du Maurier Classic in Ottawa, Canada.

Neumann, winner of the women’s British Open and Swedish Open titles the last two weeks, and McGann each shot 71 and Nause a 72 as the four leaders completed 54 holes at six-under 208 over the 6,400-yard Ottawa Hunt and Golf Course.

Among the top 10, only U.S. Open champion Patty Sheehan and Meg Mallon, with 68s, and Jennifer Wyatt of Canada, with a 69, managed to break 70.