Mi-Hyun-"Catch Up!", Woods-"Run Ahead!"

===Mi-Hyun-"Catch Up!"===

`Super Peanut` Kim Mi-Hyun (KTF) has leaped into the tied-5th (4-under 212) position by scoring a 5-under 67 in the 3rd round of the U.S. LPGA Tour Ping Banner Health (total prizes of 1 million dollars).

In the 3rd round that was held at Arizona’s Phoenix Moon Valley CC (par 72) on the 17th, Kim led a neat play by pulling out 5 birdies without bogie.

However, Pak Se-Ri (Samsung Electronics) played to disappointing results of 5-over 77 with no birdie, 1 double-bogie, and 3 bogies. She took a great fall to take up the tied-33rd position (4-over 220).

Meanwhile, Annika Sorenstam (11-under 205. Sweden) has taken a 4-stroke lead charging into the tournament’s second consecutive victory and the season’s second victory.

Park Ji-Eun (Ihwa Women’s Univ.) and Jang Jung (Zinus) marked tied-17th (1-over 217), and Karrie Webb (Australia), like Park, also has shown poor results of being tied-48th (6-over 222) in the season’s first U.S. LPGA tournament.

===Woods-"Run Ahead!"===

Tiger Woods (U.S.A.) stepped close to the U.S. PGA Tour Bay Hill Invitational (total prizes of 4 million dollars) tournament’s first 3rd consecutive win and the season’s first victory.

Although Woods hesitated a little with 2-overpar 74 in the 3rd round, which took place at Florida’s Orlando Bay Hill GC (par 72) on the 17th, but soon maintained the 1-stroke single lead (10-under 206).

This year’s winner of Nissan Open, Len Mattiace (U.S.A.), is following Woods in close run at the 2nd position (9-under 207). Phil Mickelson (U.S.A.), Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal (both Spain), Vijay Singh (Fiji), Ernie Els (South Africa), and John Daly (U.S.A.) are running 3-stroke tied-8th (7-under 209), all seeking to claim victory.

Woods usually does not lose the lead once he is at the top in the final round, but the final 4th round is going to be a fierce battlefield.

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com