DOURO-DUMMER, Ont. – With a par on the fourth hole of a sudden victory playoff, West Des Moines, Iowa’s Nate McCoy captured The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial over Burlington, Ont.’s Michael Gligic, securing his first career PGA Tour Canada win.

The 24-year old shot a final round 7-under 65 to post 19-under par, then watched as Gligic matched him with a birdie on 18 to tie and force a playoff. The two made a pair of pars on the par-5 18^th and then parred the par-4 10^th, before returning to the final hole. After Gligic found the deep fescue left of the green and made bogey, McCoy secured the win with a textbook par, securing his first victory as a professional.

“It’s pretty amazing. I don’t know if it’s going to sink in until a little later,” said McCoy, an Iowa State University graduate. “I went into the day thinking if I played well, I could at least content. To walk away with the championship is really kind of surreal.”

The win moves McCoy to No. 8 on the Order of Merit with two events left in the season, $4,776 behind the No. 5 spot as he looks to secure status on the Web.com Tour for next season. McCoy, who began the week 61^st on the Order of Merit, said he was looking simply to get inside the top 60 and secure exempt status on PGA Tour Canada for 2015.

“It changes a lot,” McCoy said. “Going in I was just trying to keep my card, now we’ll see how far I can go and maybe try to improve my position. Right now it’s icing on the cake compared to what I was at. To be able to give myself the chance to get some Web.com Tour status if I can finish off well would be nice.”

Starting the day four shots behind 54-hole leader Joe Panzeri, McCoy made three straight birdies on Nos. 9-11 to tie for the lead with Gligic, Bristol, Tennessee’s Jay Vandeventer, Yakima, Washington’s Brock Mackenzie and San Jose, California’s John Ellis, who birdied his first six holes to jump out into a share of the lead and would go on to finish fourth.

With two more birdies coming in, McCoy posted 19-under and watched as Gligic, who carded his second straight 66, matched him.

“I knew going into the day I needed a good one, and I did that. I played good coming down the stretch and there’s a lot of positives to take. I made a lot of putts coming down the stretch, and I can just build on that,” Gligic said.

Vandeventer had a chance to tie with a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18^th, but couldn’t find the cup. After McCoy and Gligic parred each of the first three playoff holes, Gligic put himself in trouble with his lay-up, had to pitch short of the green, then couldn’t convert an 8-foot par putt to keep the playoff going for a fifth hole.

“Michael’s a great player. I didn’t want to see him bogey that hole, but he’s a great guy and I really enjoyed playing with him,” said McCoy.

The win comes as the latest success in golf for the McCoy family, after father Mike McCoy’s victory at last year’s USGA Mid-Amateur Championship earned him a spot in The Masters Tournament, where Nate caddied for him.

“It’s nice having a dad that pushes me. I’m not really sure what he’s going to say, but it should be nice,” said McCoy, who also credited his wife Ashley, who caddied for him on PGA Tour Canada for much of the year before returning to work as a teacher in Iowa.

“She’s really been a strong anchor for me this year,” McCoy said. “It was a tough year last year and I had a tough stretch this year, and she was always there saying ‘You can play with these guys, and you put too much pressure on yourself, so just go play.’ She really has helped me a lot, more than she probably knows.”

Panzeri was unable to convert the 54-hole lead into victory for the first time in three attempts on PGA Tour Canada, carding a 74 to finish tied for 12^th. One shot behind Ellis in a tie for fifth were Langley, B.C.’s Adam Cornelson, who posted a career-best finish on PGA Tour Canada, and Saint-Georges, Que.’s Max Gilbert, who posted his first top-10 since a win at last year’s TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial.

For the second week in a row, Gligic earned Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours along with a $1,500 prize. Gligic claimed the award last week as well, finishing solo fourth at The Great Waterway Classic.

Each week on PGA Tour Canada, Freedom 55 Financial honours the top Canadian on the leaderboard, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end taking Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $10,000 prize.

NORTON, Mass. – Russell Henley doesn’t get into contention as much as he’d like, though he is tough to beat when he’s anywhere near the lead.

Rory McIlroy seems to be there all the time.

They were among a host of contenders Sunday at the Deutsche Bank Championship, setting up the second straight week in the FedEx Cup playoffs that the final round resembles more like a free-for-all.

The difference at the TPC Boston is the presence of McIlroy so high on the leaderboard.

Henley ran off five birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn on his way to a 6-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead over Billy Horschel going into a Labor Day finish loaded with possibilities.

Ten players were separated by four shots. Six of them already have won on the PGA Tour this season.

And one of them – McIlroy – has won the biggest events.

McIlroy was dialed in with his swing and shot a 7-under 64 to get within two shots of the lead. He played with Chris Kirk, who also shot a 64 with birdies on his last two holes – a chip-in for birdie on a shot that would have gone 10 feet by the hole had it not banged into the pin, and an eagle putt that stopped an inch short on the 18th.

“I’ve been in this position quite a lot recently,” McIlroy said. “So I know how it’s going to feel tomorrow.”

Henley was at 12-under 201. He will play in the final group with Horschel, who birdied his last three holes for a 67.

Henley can look as good as anyone, and then he can disappear. He won the Sony Open last year in his first PGA Tour event as a rookie last year, and never seriously contended again. He won the Honda Classic in March in a four-man playoff that included McIlroy, and since then has missed eight cuts and has only two finishes in the top 20.

“I think I’m just still figuring it all out,” Henley said. “I feel like I’ve been working really hard on my ball-striking to keep the ball more in front of me. I always feel pretty good with my putter. The other thing I have to work on is my attitude, and not be so hard on myself.”

Jason Day, who started Sunday tied with Ryan Palmer, reached 12 under with a short birdie putt on the 13th hole. But he missed a short par putt on the 14th and hooked his tee shot into high grass and had to pitch out, leading to another bogey on the 15th. Day also failed to birdie the par-5 18th and shot 69.

Palmer took bogey on two of the par 5s and shot 71 to fall four shots behind.

McIlroy won the British Open, a World Golf Championship and the PGA Championship to assert himself at No. 1 in the world. He is coming off a pedestrian week at The Barclays – at least by his standards – where he started with a 74 and could never catch up.

So a round like 64 didn’t surprise him.

“It feels normal,” McIlroy said. “It feels like it’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s my job to go out there and shoot good scores. I’m not getting too excited about it. I’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow if I want to win this tournament.”

Henley is one round away at securing his spot in the Tour Championship, and perhaps giving U.S. captain Tom Watson one more person to consider for a Ryder Cup picks. But that one round seems far away considering the leaderboard, especially with McIlroy.

“He’s obviously a tough guy to beat,” Henley said. “But like I said, there’s a lot of tough guys to beat. Rory has had a heck of a run and I’m sure he’ll continue that.”

Horschel is at No. 82 in the FedEx Cup and came to the Deutsche Bank hopeful of moving into the top 70 to advance to the BMW Championship next week. Now he’s in the final group and adjusting his goals. He emerged late with a tap-in birdie at the 16th, a tough 12-footer on the 17th and a wedge to 5 feet on the final hole.

Webb Simpson, among those under Ryder Cup consideration, overcame a double bogey to post a 68 and was three shots behind. Keegan Bradley also is in the hunt for one of the three captain’s picks. He made only two birdies on a soft day for scoring and had a 69, leaving him four shots behind.

DIVOTS: Geoff Ogilvy shot 29 on the back for a 65 and was tied for 11th. He would need somewhere around eighth place to advance to the next FedEx Cup playoff event. One week ago, Ogilvy figured he was done for the year until Troy Merritt made bogey on the final hole at The Barclays. Ogilvy was the last player to qualify for the Deutsche Bank Championship. … Patrick Reed started the third round two shots out of the lead. He made four double bogeys on the back nine for an 82 and was among seven players who missed the 54-hole cut. That group included Matt Every, who shot an 86. … Phil Mickelson had a 72 and remains on the bubble for advancing next week to Cherry Hills, where he won the 1990 U.S. Amateur. Canada’s Graham DeLaet is tied for 40th at 1-under 212.

CALGARY – Fred Couples beat Billy Andrade in a one-hole playoff on Sunday to win the Shaw Charity Classic at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

Couples chipped in for eagle from the back of the green of the par-5, 18th hole to set a new course record of 9-under 61.

Andrade then tapped in a short putt for an eagle on the 18th to card an 8-under 62 to pull into a tie with Couples at 15 under through three days of competition.

The pair then went back to the 18th tee for the playoff. Andrade went for the green in two and pulled his second shot right of the green and into the stands. After laying up, Couples chipped his third shot to within a foot of the hole.

After taking a drop, Andrade’s chip shot came up about 30 feet short of the hole. Andrade then missed his long putt to the left of the hole, before Couples tapped in his birdie putt and received a loud ovation from the large crowd surrounding the 18th green.

Steve Lowery and Joe Daley finished in a tie for third at 13 under, while Wes Short. Jr. shot a final round of 64 to earn sole possession of fifth place at 12 under.

Rod Spittle of Niagara Falls, Ont., carded a final round of even par to finish as the low Canadian in a four-way tie for 47th spot at 3 under.

Victoria’s Jim Rutledge finished one shot behind Spittle after shooting a 5-under 65 on the final day of the Champions Tour event.

Meanwhile, Calgary’s Darryl James shot a respectable 69 on Sunday, but still finished in second last at 8 over.

TURIN, Italy – Hennie Otto of South Africa held on to claim a second Italian Open victory by two shots on Sunday, while Stephen Gallacher came up just short of an automatic Ryder Cup spot after finishing third.

Otto, who won the event in 2008, shot a 4-under 68 to finish with a 20-under total of 268 and hold off David Howell, who surged up the leaderboard with a 63 to finish second. Howell opened with an eagle and added seven birdies to beat Gallacher (65) by one shot. Gallacher needed a top-two finish to dislodge former U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell from the automatic Ryder Cup places for Europe’s team.

It was only the 38-year-old’s Otto’s second tournament since his recovery from two back operations.

“I was playing well before the injury but it is a surprise to win so soon,” Otto said. “Golf is not perfect and to come back after the operations and win in my second week, I will take that any day.

“Today wasn’t easy because the guys played so well with some of them trying to get The Ryder Cup spots. I really hope Stevie makes it – he deserves it and has proved himself this week.”

Gallacher will now have to wait until Tuesday, when European captain Paul McGinley announces his three wild cards.

“It was a tall order but I am proud of myself the way I have played,” Gallacher said. “I’m delighted with 17 under, it looks just a little short but there is nothing I can do. … There are four or five guys that are worthy (of a wild card) so it’s just what Paul sees.”

PORTLAND, Ore. – Defending champion Suzann Pettersen shot her second straight 5-under 67 on Saturday for a share of the third-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Portland Classic.

Trying to match Nancy Lopez’s record with her third victory in the event, Pettersen had an eagle, four birdies and a bogey at Columbia Edgewater. The fourth-ranked Norwegian star is winless this season after winning four times last year to push her career total to 14.

“I still feel the low one is out there. Got to go out tomorrow and just try to birdie as many holes as you can,” said Pettersen, who birdied Nos. 16 and 17.

The last five times Pettersen has led or had a share of the lead after three rounds, she has gone on to win.

“Tomorrow, just got to step on the pedal,” Pettersen said.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and South Korea’s Mi Jung Hur shot 70 to match Pettersen at 11-under 205. Ciganda bogeyed the par-4 18th to fall into the tie.

Ciganda is hoping to win her first LPGA Tour title in memory of Rogelio Echeverria, her long-time coach who died three weeks ago after a brief bout with stomach cancer.

“It would be unbelievable. I know he’s watching up there, and I would love to win for him. Everything I do from now on, it’s going to be for him,” Ciganda said.

On the final hole, she drove into a fairway bunker and missed a 6-foot par putt.

“Not the best, but I mean that’s a tough hole,” Ciganda said. “I hit it into a bunker and it wasn’t an easy shot, and I didn’t make the putt. Eighteen holes, I missed one hole.”

Hur won the 2009 tournament for her lone LPGA Tour victory.

“I think I hit only 10 greens today, but my putting was good. It saved me,” Hur said.

South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu and I.K. Kim and China’s Hi Yu Lin were a stroke back. Ryu, the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open winner last week, and Lin shot 70. Kim, the leader after each of the first two rounds, had a 74.

Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, South Korea’s Eun Hee Ji, Denmark’s Line Vedel and Americans Austin Ernst and Laura Diaz were two strokes back on the crowded leaderboard at 9 under. Uribe shot 66, Ji 67, Vedel and Ernst 69, and Diaz 72.

Kim, who made 14 birdies during the first two rounds, took the lead after nine holes at 13 under, but slipped with bogeys on Nos. 11, 13 and 17.

“Just didn’t make putts,” Kim said. “I hit a lot of good tee shots. The greens were firm, and a lot of pins were in front, so I misadjusted and had a lot of downhill putts. I couldn’t be aggressive.”

Kim is trying to end a four-year winless streak on the LPGA Tour, although she won on the Ladies European Tour in July.

“I still have a chance, but I just not happy with how I kind of scored today,” Kim said.

Canada’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham is tied for 36th at 3-under 213.

Gigi Stoll, a senior at Beaverton High School who won the Portland Classic Amateur Open last week to earn a berth in the field, was even par after a 71.

South Korea’s Jeong Jang, who announced her retirement this week, was even par after a 75. Countrywoman Hee Won Han, also retiring, had a 74 to reach 2 over.

DOURO-DUMMER, Ontario – Meridian, Idaho’s Joe Panzeri managed a 4-under 68 on Saturday at Wildfire Golf Club to take a two shot advantage through 54 holes at The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial.

The 28-year old will look to secure his third career PGA TOUR Canada victory on Sunday after reaching 16-under par through three rounds, two strokes clear of a group of seven players in a tie for second, including Canadians Max Gilbert, Chris Hemmerich, Justin Shin and Adam Cornelson as well as Americans Jeff Corr, Jay Vandeventer and Brock Mackenzie.

“I hit the ball really well, kept it and front of me and played smart golf,” said Panzeri. “The greens are so good out here, I’m just trying to hit fairways and greens because I feel like you can make putts.”

Panzeri will look to turn around what he admitted has been a disappointing year in 2014 on Sunday, and said he’s taken a fresh attitude into this week to return to the form that saw him finish sixth on the Order of Merit last season.

“It’s been a tough year. I had high expectations for myself and haven’t really done much at all,” said Panzeri, who currently sits 90^th on the Order of Merit with four made cuts in seven starts. “I had some talks with people back home and people out here, and just kind of changed my attitude a little bit. Instead of expecting it, I’m just working hard and sticking to a game plan instead of putting the pressure on myself. I just kind of relaxed and I’m trying to have fun.”

With rounds of 66-64-68 so far this week, Panzeri said he feels more comfortable on the course than he has all year, partly in thanks to a switch to an old, friendly flatstick on the greens this week.

“I was just messing around in the garage and grabbed a short putter I had played well with in college and it felt really good,” said Panzeri, who had been employing the broomstick anchoring method for his previous starts this year. “I just went with it, and it’s panned out well so far.”

With a host of chasers just behind him, Panzeri said he would lean on his experience on Sunday to try and stay ahead of the pack. Panzeri has converted a 54-hole lead into victory in both of his PGA TOUR Canada wins, taking a 3-shot lead through 54 holes at last year’s ATB Financial Classic and a 2-stroke advantage at the 2011 SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel to the house for wins.

“It’s a good opportunity. I’ve been in this position before a few times, and hopefully those will help me for tomorrow,” said Panzeri. “I can’t control what other guys do. My goal for tomorrow is just to go play golf, have fun and commit to my shots and do all that I can.”

Gilbert had the round of the day with 7-under 65, while 36-hole leader Adam Cornelson carded an even par 72 to fall back into a tie for second with Mackenzie, his playing partner, along with Corr, Shin and Hemmerich, who all carded 68s. Joining the group was Jay Vandeventer after a 69.

In order to defend his title at the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial in two weeks, Max Gilbert knows he’ll have to play some good golf, and soon. At 134^th on the Order of Merit, the 24-year old finds himself well outside the top-60 cutoff that will play in London and retain exempt status for 2015.

Through three rounds at Wildfire, it’s mission accomplished for Gilbert, who fired a 7-under 65 to post the round of the day and sit 14-under and tied for second.

“I’m very happy the way I played. I played better again today and we’ll see what happens. I need the same thing tomorrow,” said Gilbert. “It’s definitely my goal to be in London, so I need to play well here and next week too. I want to be there because it’s a great golf course for me.”

Gilbert won the season-ending event at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club last season in a Cinderella story, playing his way into the Order of Merit-only event with no status on PGA TOUR Canada, then shooting four rounds in the 60s to win by one. At Wildfire, his standout day was highlighted by three eagles, including a hole-out from 122 yards on the 14^th to put him 7-under on the day.

“I had it going,” Gilbert said. “The first one was a good putt, the second one was like a six- or seven-footer, but the feeling that I had after the 122 yards, it was perfect in the air. It said ‘go in,’ and it went in, so it was a good feeling.”

NORTON, Mass. – With an orange ribbon on his hat and nine birdies on his card, Matt Kuchar pulled within a shot of the lead Saturday in the Deutsche Bank Championship. Not that he needed a reminder, but a message posted on the scoring table spoke to the emotions involved in this tournament.

Players were offered a chance to donate to a trust fund for the 4-year-old daughter of Lance Bennett, his caddie. Bennett’s wife, Angela, died of a seizure Wednesday. Kuchar decided to play to raise awareness and get the tour involved in helping the family.

His performance certainly helped.

Ryan Palmer overcame a rocky start for an even-par 71. Jason Day struggled at the end for a 68. They were tied for the lead on the TPC Boston going into the third round of a FedEx Cup playoff event that ends on Labor Day.

Kuchar was a shot behind after a 66 that featured six consecutive birdies around the turn.

“You never know how things will work out in the game of golf,” Kuchar said. “But it felt like there’s some fate working, as well. The funeral is coming up and some things that will be difficult. But right now, I feel like there’s some inspiration and some fate working.”

On his bag is Brian Reed, a longtime friend who introduced Kuchar to Bennett several years ago.

Kuchar was overcome by emotion Friday when he saw caddies – and even some players – wearing a black hat with the orange ribbon in honor of Bennett’s wife. There were times he had a hard time taking the club back.

Saturday was easier, which he attributes to the natural progression of grief.

“Still felt like Angela was on my mind almost every hole, every shot,” Kuchar said.

The next few days might not be easy for anyone. The TPC Boston has a history of yielding low scores. Henrik Stenson won a year ago at 22-under 262, and the worst winning score since it became a FedEx Cup playoff event was 15-under 269.

That seems far off given these conditions – swirling wind and fast greens that get bumpier in the afternoon.

Palmer, who started with a 63, made birdie on his first hole and thought he was off to the races. He followed with a double bogey, a bogey and then tried to hang. A birdie on the final hole put him at 8-under 134.

“It could have gone the other way real quick,” Palmer said. “I was glad to get that last birdie on 18 and salvage even (par).”

Day, who shared the 54-hole lead last week at The Barclays, looked as though he might pull away. Day ran off five birdies on the front nine for a 31 to build a two-shot lead, only to drop four shots coming in. He caught a flyer on No. 12 that went over the green into a hazard, played a low chip through thick rough and made a big bogey putt.

He still had the lead when he went from the green in two on the par-5 18th. The ball went long, and he hit a flop out of thick rough that ran through the green and into the bunker, leading to his third birdie of the back nine.

Even so, he was atop the leaderboard in another playoff event. He has adjusted to a weaker grip to protect from injuring his thumb again. And his confidence is growing.

So is his respect for the TPC Boston.

“You get yourself above the trees, it can be very difficult to judge how much wind there is,” he said. “And if you get too far below the trees, it doesn’t get hit by the wind at all. It played tough today. I played good on the front nine, played kind of average on the back nine. But I got it in.”

Billy Horschel had a 66 and joined Kuchar at 7-under 135.

A trio of players hopeful of a Ryder Cup pick on Tuesday – Bill Haas, Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson – were among those at 6 under. U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer had a 66 and joined the group at 5 under that included Jordan Spieth.

Rory McIlroy had a double bogey late in his round that slowed his momentum. He had a 69 and was five shots behind. Phil Mickelson is still playing, and looking better to play next week, too. Mickelson had a 69 and easily made the cup at 1-over 145.

The top 70 in the FedEx Cup move on to Cherry Hills in Denver next week for the third playoff event.

But Mickelson’s work is not over. Because 80 players made the cut at 3-over 145, there will be a 54-hole cut Sunday. It will be the second straight week for a secondary cut. That has happened only two previous times in six years during the playoffs, and Mickelson has missed out both times.

TURIN, Italy – Hennie Otto of South Africa shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Italian Open, where Stephen Gallacher’s late bid to qualify for the Ryder Cup will go down to the wire.

Otto, who won this event in 2008, began the day with a three-shot lead but struggled at times, carding two bogeys and a double bogey as well as five birdies.

It is only the 38-year-old’s Otto’s second tournament since his recovery from two back operations.

“It was a rough day to be honest,” Otto said. “My back started to tighten after eight holes but I managed to get it round even though I couldn’t swing it properly. I got a little lucky at times as well but you need that in this game if you are going to win a tournament.”

Gallacher produced four birdies and one bogey in a round of 69 to move to within six shots of the lead and four behind compatriot Richie Ramsay (66) in second place.

Gallacher is the only man still capable of moving into the automatic Ryder Cup places in the final qualifying event, with a top-two finish enough to dislodge former U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell from Europe’s team.

“It keeps me in touching distance,” Gallacher said. “The worst thing I could have done was open up a big gap which was insurmountable. I’ve not done that so a good day on Sunday and I am still right in there. I had about four lip-outs today but they went in on Friday and I holed a couple of good putts at the end so it evens itself out.

“It’s all to play for. You never know what happens in this game and guys have won from further back than this. I’ll just go out and try and get as many birdies as possible and see what happens. This is the only time in my career that I would be happy not to win a golf tournament. Second will do me fine on Sunday.”

Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger slipped to third after following consecutive rounds of 66 with a 71. Lee Slattery and Ross Fisher were fourth, five shots behind Otto.

CALGARY – It’s packed atop the leaderboard of the Shaw Charity Classic.

Bob Tway shot Saturday’s best round of 7-under 63 to finish in a three-way tie for first spot through two rounds of the Champions Tour event at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

“I putted very well today – probably the best I’ve putted in 20-something years, so it was kind of fun,” said Tway, who’s tied for top spot at 10-under with Joe Durant and Joe Daley. “The greens are some of the nicest greens I’ve ever putted on. If you hit a good putt, they’re going in. Guys are making putts from everywhere.”

An eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, Tway has yet to finish atop the leaderboard at a Champions Tour event.

“I know I can play better than I have,” said the 55-year-old resident of Edmond, Okla., who finished tied for sixth at the Senior Open Championship earlier this season. “I haven’t done it, but I keep trying to do it. If I just keep enjoying it, then it doesn’t really matter. I fully should play a lot better than I play, but I haven’t. You either keep working at it or go home and I’m going to keep working at it.”

Durant and Daley carded identical scores of 66 on Saturday and will play in the final group with Tway during Sunday’s third and final round on the 7,086-yard, par 70 course.

“I know there’s three of us tied, but by the time we get on the first hole there might be guys who have already passed us,” Durant said. “That’s how bunched it is. It will be quite a shootout tomorrow, and if the weather’s good there will be a lot of birdies flying.”

In order to contend for top spot, Daley said he’ll have to continue to play at the top of his game.

“You have to be very much on your game and even more so than you might even think,” Daley said. “But you also have to prepare in a lot of different ways in your mind and physically for what you have to go through to compete against these guys because these guys, well, they’ve been whooping me for decades.”

Gary Hallberg, Mark McNulty and David Frost finished tied at 9 under through two rounds.

Bernhard Langer, Doug Garwood, Woody Austin and Tom Pernice Jr. are in a four-way tie for seventh spot at 8 under.

“I would rather be chased than chasing but I don’t have that option,” said Langer, who has won five times this year on the Champions Tour and is leading the Charles Schwab Cup standings. “Hopefully your swing is good enough and your putting stroke allows you to do what you need to do.”

For the second day in a row, Rod Spittle of Niagara Falls, Ont., finished as the low Canadian after carding a 1-under 69. Spittle is in an eight-way tie for 36th place at 3 under heading into the final round.

After shooting even par in the first round, Calgary’s Stephen Ames struggled on Saturday with a score of 3-over 73.

Victoria’s Jim Rutledge fared exactly the opposite of Ames as he bounced back with a round of 70 after going 3 over on the opening day of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Calgary’s Darryl James followed up a round of 74 with a 75 on Saturday to sit in second last spot at 9 over, just one shot ahead of Sandy Lyle.

PORTLAND, Ore. – I.K. Kim increased her lead to three strokes Friday in the LPGA Tour’s Portland Classic, shooting a 5-under 67 to reach 12 under.

The South Korean player had seven birdies and two bogeys in her morning round in cloudy, calm conditions at Columbia Edgewater. She won the last of her three LPGA Tour titles in 2010, and had a victory this summer in a Ladies European Tour event in England.

“I’m really pleased how I played the last two days,” Kim said. “There is a lot of scores out there, so I think it will be a good week for all of us.”

Kim’s best LPGA Tour finish this year is a tie for 13th in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in April in California.

“I’m glad that I’ve been kind of going through all these things, and you know, it’s nice to win one,” Kim said.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and South Korea’s Mi Jung Hur shot 65 to join Laura Diaz at 9 under. Diaz had a 68.

Ciganda’s long-time coach, Rogelio Echeverria, died three weeks after a brief bout with stomach cancer.

“Like a month ago I was practicing with him. I can’t speak. He’s the one who taught me everything. I’m here because of him. He means everything to me,” Ciganda said. “I’m just going to play for him, and I would love to win just for him.”

South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu, the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open winner Sunday in London, Ont., was 8 under along with Mina Harigae, China’s Xi Yu Lin and South Africa’s Paula Reto. The fifth-ranked Ryu had a 66, Lin carded a 68, and Harigae and Reto shot 69.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen was 6 under after a 67. She played her fnal nine hoiles in 5-under 41.

“I haven’t played my best the last two days. Really happy to be able to shoot 5 under on the back nine,” Pettersen said. “I don’t know if it’s just the fourth (consecutive) week that I’m tired, but grinding it out. I’m finding solutions out there.”

The fourth-ranked Norwegian player, also the 2011 winner, is trying to tie Nancy Lopez’s event record of three victories.

Juli Inkster and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist also were in the group at 6 under. The 54-year-old Inkster, making her 28th appearance in the event, followed her opening 68 with a 70. Nordqvist, a two-time winner this year, also shot 70.

South Korea’s Jeong Jang was 3 under after a 71. The 34-year-old Jang, the 2005 Women’s British Open champion, announced her retirement this week and said the event will be her last.

Hee-Won Han, also playing her final event, had a 71 to make the cut on the number at 1 over. The 34-year-old South Korean player won the 2004 event and has six LPGA Tour victories.

Han and Jang are considered to be pioneers of the South Korean LPGA movement.

“My kids are growing up, and I thought it was perfect timing for retire. Be a mom,” Han said.

Gigi Stoll, a senior at Beaverton High School who won the Portland Classic Amateur Open last week to earn a spot in the field, had a 74 to make the cut at 1 over.

Charley Hull, the 18-year-old English player who got into the event on a sponsor exemption, missed the cut by a stroke with rounds of 70 and 76.

Paris, Ont,’s Jennifer Kirby leads the Canadians into the weekend. She’s sitting at 2-under 142 and is tied for 39th heading into weekend action.

Top-ranked Stacy Lewis, No. 2 Inbee Park and No. 3 Lydia Ko are skipping the tournament, giving them a two-week break before the Evian Championship in France.