CROMWELL, Conn. – Ryan Moore is in contention in the Travelers Championship – again.

Moore had an eagle and two birdies Saturday in a bogey-free 4-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Aaron Baddeley into the final round.

“This is a tournament I really want to win and I know it’s a tournament I can win,” said Moore, who has four top-10 finishes in eight starts in the event.

The 31-year-old Moore had a 13-under 197 total at TPC River Highlands after opening with rounds of 63 and 68. He won the CIMB Classic in Malaysia at the start of the season in October for his third PGA Tour title.

“Today was a great examples of `It doesn’t have to be pretty’ to shoot a great golf score,” Moore said. “I honestly didn’t feel great all day hitting the ball, but drove it well enough to kind of keep myself out of trouble.”

Moore eagled the par-5 sixth, holing a 37-foot putt from just off the green, to take the lead early in the afternoon. He has made one eagle in each of his three rounds this week.

The eagle on No. 6 was something of a lucky break, Moore says, as his drive was off target.

“I hit it right off the tee, quite a bit right and straight into the trees, which is not a good place to be, and obviously walking up I did not think I was going to have a shot at all,” Moore said. “Just planned on pitching out almost sideways with the way the rough is. And apparently got a really good bounce and chased way down the cart path, and I was actually still sitting on the edge of the cart path and I was only maybe 230 yards out. So it had gotten pretty far down there.”

Moore chipped in for a birdie on No. 11 to move to 12 under and break a four-way tie for the lead.

No one who has held a share of the third-round lead has won the Travelers since Stewart Cink in 2008.

Baddeley had six birdies and a bogey in a 65.

“Around here you feel like you should birdie every hole. There are a lot of birdie holes out there,” said Baddeley, the Australian who won the last of his three PGA Tour titles in 2011. “But you have to be patient.”

Sergio Garcia, K.J. Choi, Scott Langley and Michael Putnam were tied for third at 11 under. Garcia had a 65, Choi shot 69, Langley 70 and Putnam 69.

Garcia has five top-10 finishes in nine PGA Tour starts this season, and won the European Tour’s Qatar Masters in January.

“It’s been a solid season so far,” Garcia said. “There’s no question I’d like to have played better at the Masters and last week (at the U.S. Open).”

Masters champion Bubba Watson was nine strokes back after a 67. He won in 2010 at River Highlands.

Former Stanford star Patrick Rodgers, making his pro debut, was 4 under after a 71.

Defending champion Ken Duke was 2 under after a 71.

Graham DeLaet, the sole Canadian on the field, carded 71 to go 1 under and hold a share of 67th heading into the final round.

PINEHURST, N.C. – Michelle Wie steadied herself with pars over the last four holes on a wild Saturday in the U.S. Women’s Open, leaving the former teen prodigy from Hawaii one round away from winning her first major.

Wie made back-to-back birdies to build a four-shot lead, only to give it all back with drives all over Pinehurst No. 2. She salvaged a 2-over 72 for a share of the lead with Amy Yang, who didn’t make a par until the eighth hole in her roller-coaster round of 68.

They were at 2-under 208, the only two players still under par on a Pinehurst No. 2 course that was crispy and brittle. The USGA set the course up relative to what the men faced last Saturday in the U.S. Open – short but tough because of the pin positions.

“It’s tough out there,” Wie said. “My system got a little overheated. You can’t be in the trees here. But I felt like I grinded out there.”

The big surprise was the tournament-best 66 from Juli Inkster, the 53-year-old Hall of Famer who has said this will be her 35th and final U.S. Women’s Open.

Inkster, who hasn’t made the cut in this championship in five years, was tied for third just four shots behind. She will be in the penultimate group, though a long shot to become the oldest LPGA major champion by 10 years.

“You can think and you can dream all you want,” Inkster said. “But the bottom line is you’ve got to come out and make the shots. And if I’m tied for the lead coming up 18, then maybe I’ll think about it. I’ve got a long way to go. I’m just going to enjoy the moment and hit a few balls and see what happens.”

Lexi Thompson, who won the first LPGA major of the year in a final-round duel with Wie, pulled within one shot with a pair of early birdies.

It fell apart on two holes.

Thompson missed the green to the left on No. 8 – the worst spot at Pinehurst – and her first chip fell down the slope, leading to double bogey. On the next hole, she went long over the green and chose to take relief she really didn’t need from a white line marking the TV tower. Thompson went to the drop zone, and her ball rolled back into a divot. Worst yet, she still used her putter, and it hopped high out of the divot and had no chance to reach the green. She made another double bogey, then made three straight bogeys on the back nine.

Thompson (74) was five shots behind, still in the game.

Na Yeon Choi had a 71 and was in the group with Inkster at 2-over 212 along with Stephanie Meadow (69) and 18-year-old amateur Minjee Lee of Australia (72). Another shot back were So Yeon Ryu, who played her final 10 holes in 3 under for a 70, and Karrie Webb, who went the final 12 holes without a bogey for a 70.

“Michelle Wie has put a few of us back into the tournament,” Webb said. “Two hours ago, I didn’t think I had a shot. I’m pretty happy about that.”

About the time Thompson imploded, Wie began to pull away. She made a 5-foot par putt on No. 8, followed that with an 8-iron to 8 feet for birdie on the ninth and then hit a beautiful lag from about 80 feet for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 10th, where the tees were moved so forward that Wie hit 8-iron for his second shot.

One swing changed everything.

The back tee on No. 11 was used for the first time all week, playing at 444 yards.

Lucy Li, the 11-year-old who missed the cut as the Women’s Open’s youngest qualifier in history, walked the final 12 holes with the last group. “Man, that hole is like 10 times harder from there,” she said. “Well, maybe not for them.”

Definitely for them based on their shots.

Wie hit a snap-hook that rambled through the trees and left her no shot but to go sideways and slightly back. She hit her third in a greenside bunker, blasted out about 25 feet long and nearly off the green and made double bogey. Her next tee shot – again with the driver – sailed right through the trees and settled on a sandy path. And while it led to bogey, this was a moment that showed Wie might be ready to win a Women’s Open.

She could have punched a low shot over the bunker, though it likely would have gone over the back of the green, leaving a difficult pitch. Instead, she punched out toward the fairway, hit wedge to about 18 feet and took bogey.

“U.S. Opens are tough,” she said. “I feel like maybe on a different golf course, I would have taken that chance. You just don’t want to be too greedy out here. Even though you make bogey, sometimes you just don’t want to make a double out here. I felt like I made the right decision there.”

Yang didn’t make a par until the eighth hole – she started with three bogeys and four birdies. She had the outright lead until a sloppy bogey on the 18th from the fairway. Even so, it’s another chance for 24-year-old from South Korea. She played in the final group two years ago with Choi and was runner-up.

“I’m much better at controlling my emotion and controlling the nervous feeling,” Yang said. “I think it’s going to be a fun round.”

Canada’s 16 year old amateur Brooke Henderson leads the Canadians after shooting 3 solid rounds, including a 72 today to tie for 18th going into the final day.

Sue Kim carded a 79 Saturday and is tied for 56th.

CORK, Ireland – Mikko Ilonen of Finland birdied the last hole to stay on top of the Irish Open leaderboard after the third round on Saturday.

Ilonen, who has led from the outset, carded a 2-under-par 69 to move to a 12-under total at Fota Island.

The leader by two shots overnight, Ilonen will take a one-shot lead into the final round over Danny Willett of England, who eclipsed Ilonen’s own course record by a shot with an 8-under 63 that also included a hole-in-one at the seventh.

One shot further back on 10 under was crowd favorite Graeme McDowell, who birdied two of his closing three holes in a score of 69. The Northern Irishman was not only targeting a first victory this year but also a maiden Irish Open victory.

“It’s been fun to come here this week after the pressures of last week’s U.S. Open and just let off some steam and relax, and enjoy my golf again, and also enjoy the odd pint of Guinness in the evenings,” McDowell said.

“I will now try and give the crowds what they want tomorrow, and that’s an Irish winner, but then there is a lot of names up on the leaderboard who will have issues with that.

“Winning the Irish Open is well up my leaderboard as far as wish lists of golf tournaments I would like to win, and to win would do many things like kick start my season and boost my Ryder Cup chances.”

He noted an Irish winner would also cap a good week for Irish golf, with Royal Portrush added to the British Open rotation, and Rory McIlroy committing to representing Ireland at the 2016 Olympics.

Ilonen confessed he wore an emerald-colored shirt to try and win over the large Irish crowds.

The Finn could have easily finished two clear when his attempted eagle chip shot at 18 lipped out, leaving a three-footer for his birdie.

“I decided to wear a green shirt today, and the fans were really pleased, but then I knew my course record wouldn’t last long and I called that,” Ilonen said.

“But I feel really comfortable out there, and really pleased to birdie 18, and get back the lead.”

Willett recorded his second hole-in-one of the year, after one at the China Open.

“It was a perfect number, wind out of the left with an 8-iron, kind of saying go in and not really quite sure, but it slam-dunked in the hole,” Willett said after his second 63 of the year.

(FORT MCMURRAY, Alta) – PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit leader Joel Dahmen took control of the Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON Friday, firing a 6-under 66 at Fort McMurray Golf Club to take the 36-hole lead by three shots over Vancouver’s Ryan Williams.

Dahmen, the PC Financial Open champion three weeks ago in Vancouver, rebounded from a bogey at the first hole with seven birdies, finishing at 15-under through 36 holes, three ahead of Williams.

“I’ve made a few putts. When you get in a groove, you just try to keep playing golf and not think about it too much,” said the Clarkston, Washington native of his red-hot play over the first two rounds. “I started to play more aggressively and the putts fell on the back nine for me.”

With a win in his back pocket already this year and the chance to take a strong grip on the top spot on PGA Tour Canada’s Order of Merit, Dahmen said he would be trying to go full speed into the weekend to secure another victory. The 26-year-old is looking to build on experience from last year at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial, where he held the 36-hole lead by three before faltering on the weekend to a 7th place finish.

“There’s still a lot of golf left. I did the same thing last year [in Cape Breton] and had a three-shot lead going into the weekend and it didn’t pan out, so there’s still a lot left. I still have to keep the pedal down and keep going,” said Dahmen.

2014 has been a breakout season for the former University of Washington Husky, who claimed two wins on the All-American Gateway Tour this winter and now finds himself in the driver’s seat on PGA Tour Canada, a position he admitted he hasn’t always felt comfortable in but now expects to see each time he tees it up. Dahmen credited a new mental approach crafted with former University of Washington assistant coach Jon Reehoorn, now the head coach at Oregon State, centered around playing aggressively regardless of his position on the leaderboard.

“We were talking about staying aggressive, and keeping the same mentality all the way through the round,” said Dahmen. “I really fought myself hard today, and I’m going to be excited when I text him and tell him that I did it. I fought myself early and I turned it around and played really well.”

With a great chance at another win this weekend, Dahmen said the confidence he gained from his win at the PC Financial Open has helped him play well this week.

“For me to actually win in Vancouver was huge. I know that I can do it, and I feel like I belong. I feel like I’m supposed to be at the top,” said Dahmen.

One shot behind Williams in third was Florida’s Jeff Corr, who shot 65 to finish at 11-under. Two shots behind Corr were Montreal, Quebec’s Beon-Yeong Lee, California’s Sean Shahi and Monday qualifier Kevin Spooner of West Vancouver at 9-under.

PINEHURST, N.C. – For all the interest in the men and women playing Pinehurst No. 2 in consecutive weeks, Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson made the U.S. Women’s Open more closely resemble the first LPGA Tour major of the year.

Wie held it together with two key par putts and finished with back-to-back birdies for a 2-under 68. Thompson powered her way out of the sand and weeds and ran off three straight birdies to match Wie for the lowest score Friday.

They were the only players still under par going into the weekend, perhaps setting up a rematch from the first major of the year. Thompson soundly beat Wie in the final round at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

“Definitely too early,” Thompson said with a laugh. “Thirty-six holes in a major, that’s a lot of golf to be played, especially at a U.S. Women’s Open.”

For now, Wie had control.

The 24-year-old from Hawaii twice thought her shots were going off the turtleback greens, and twice she relied on her table-top putting stance to make long par saves. She finished with a 6-iron that set up a 12-foot birdie putt, and a 15-foot birdie on the par-5 ninth to reach 4-under 136.

“End of the day yesterday, I was thinking if I just did this again, that would be nice,” Wie said. “Finishing with two birdies is always great. It’s a grind out there. It’s not easy. Really grateful for the par putts that I made and some of the birdie putts that I made. I can’t complain. I’ll take it.”

Just when it looked as if this had the trappings of another runaway – Martin Kaymer led by at least four shots over the final 48 holes to win the U.S. Open – along came Thompson with a shot reminiscent of what Kaymer did last week.

From the sand and bushes left of the fairway on the par-5 fifth hole, Thompson blasted a 5-iron from 195 yards just off the green, setting up two putts for birdie from about 60 feet. Kaymer was in roughly the same spot in the third round when he hit 7-iron from 202 yards to 5 feet, that pin position more toward the front.

That was her third straight birdie, and she closed with four pars to reach 139.

Pinehurst No. 2 wasn’t in much of a giving mood on another warm day in the North Carolina sandhills, with a brief shower in the middle of the afternoon that didn’t do much to soften a dry, crusty golf course.

Stacy Lewis, the No. 1 player in women’s golf who opened with a bogey-free 67, picked up a bogey on her first hole in a wild round of six bogeys, three birdies and a tough 73. A two-time major champion, she saw the big picture.

“I hung around, and that’s what you’ve got to do at this tournament,” said Lewis, at even-par with Amy Yang (69) and Minjee Lee, the 18-year-old amateur from Australia who played bogey-free on the back nine to salvage a 71.

Lucy Li, the precocious 11-year-old and youngest qualifier in the history of the U.S. Women’s Open, isn’t leaving town until Monday. She just won’t be playing any more golf. The sixth-grader from the Bay Area started with a double bogey for the second straight day and shot another 78 to miss the cut.

Well inside that cut line were Canada’s Sue Kim and 16-year-old amateur Brooke Henderson – both members of Team Canada. The pair are 4-over and tied for 14th heading into moving day.

The three other Canadians in the field – Jessica Wallace (+12, 144); Rebecca Lee-Bentham (+15, 155); and amateur Elizabeth Tong (+16, 156) did not slip by the cut at 9-over 149.

No one was conceding anything to Wie or Thompson. What last week showed was a Pinehurst No. 2 that played about the same all four days, instead of some U.S. Opens where scores are thrown in reverse on the weekend. There’s still plenty of time for players to chip away at par, and equal opportunity to lose even more ground.

“When you think seven shots, you think that’s a lot,” Karrie Webb said after battling for a 73, leaving her seven shots behind. “But really at the U.S. Open, I don’t think that’s too far out.”

Na Yeon Choi had a 70 and was at 1-over 141, followed by a Paula Creamer (72) at 2-over 142. The group at 143 included Webb and So Yeon Ryu, who saved her hopes with three straight birdies on the front nine, and narrowly missing a fourth. All of them are former Women’s Open champions.

This is a different Wie they are chasing.

She is in contention on the weekend in her second straight major. The last time that happened was when she was 16 and had a chance in three of them. Wie already has won this year in Hawaii, and she has eight top 10s and is No. 2 on the LPGA money list.

Attribute that to a putting stroke that she owns, no matter how peculiar it looks with her back bent severely, almost parallel to the ground. And she has learned to play the shot – she has a full allotment – instead of worrying about her score or her position on the leaderboard.

“I think you look at the way Michelle has played the last six months and you look at her differently,” Lewis said. “I think she’s become one of the best ball-strikers on tour. She hits it really consistent. She knows where the ball’s going. And she’s figuring out how to win. That’s the big thing.”

CROMWELL, Conn. – Scott Langley is being careful not to get too far ahead of himself in the Travelers Championship. That’s the mistake he said he made three weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament when he shot a 79 in the final round to drop into a tie for 28th.

Winless in two seasons on the PGA Tour, the 25-year-old Langley took the second-round lead in the Travelers on Friday, following his opening 64 with a 65 to reach 11 under 129. He had eight birdies, a double bogey and a bogey in the second round at TPC River Highlands.

“I’ve been in contention. I played in the final group on Sunday at Memorial,” Langley said. “This weekend, I’m not going to think about possibilities. I’m not going to think about what it means to win. I’m not going to think about any of that stuff. I’m just going to keep my head down and play my game.”

Michael Putnam, Harris English and K.J. Choi were a stroke back. Putnam shot 63, matching the best round of the day. English had a 64, and Choi shot 65.

Langley was 11 under after 10 holes Friday, but an errant approach shot on the 342-yard, par-4 second hole led to a double bogey.

“I was ticked off because it was such an easy mistake, a simple wedge shot,” said Langley, trying to become the fifth straight first-time PGA Tour winner in the event.

Langley birdied the next hole.

I’ve given myself a lot of short birdie opportunities the first two days. Those are nice,” Langley said. “When you start adding up three, four and five almost tap-in birdies, that just really kind of boosts you up.”

First-round leader Brendan Steele had a 69 and to top the group at 9 under. He made three bogeys on his first nine holes, but rallied with four straight birdies on Nos. 3-6.

Patrick Rodgers, the former Stanford star making his pro debut, was 5 under after a 69. Cameron Wilson, Rodgers’ college teammate who also was making his pro debut, missed the cut with rounds of 73 and 75.

Defending champion Ken Duke was 3 under after a 72.

Masters champion Bubba Watson, the 2010 Travelers winner for his first PGA Tour title, followed his opening 67 with a 72 to make the cut by a stroke.

Putnam has finished in the top 25 once in 22 events this season. He matched his season best with a 67 in the first round and bettered it significantly Friday with the 63.

“It was a perfect day for scoring. It left myself in some good spots and made a couple putts,” Putnam said. “I actually three-putted 13 for par so it could have been even better.”

Defending champion Ken Duke was 3 under after a 72.

“I hit a lot of bad shots and I have no excuse for it, but yeah, it’s good to finish strong and be here for the weekend,” Duke said. “That’s what you always want to do.”

Erik Compton, the two-time heart transplant recipient who tied for second Sunday in the U.S. Open, missed the cut. He had a 69 in the second round to finish at 3 over.

Also missing the cut was Brad Fritsch. The Ottawa native opened with a 65 Thursday, but faltered with a 76 during round 2.

Weyburn, Sask.’s Graham DeLaet will play the weekend. He’s 2-under for a 68 on Friday.

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Tom Lehman birdied four straight holes and finished with a bogey-free 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead Friday in the Champions Tour’s Encompass Championship.

Finishing on the front nine, Lehman birdied Nos. 4-7 and closed with two pars at North Shore Country Club. The 55-year-old Minnesotan nearly holed out for an eagle on the par-5 sixth, leaving a 6-inch putt, and ran in a 15-footer on the par-3 seventh.

He has struggled with his putting since winning the last of his seven senior titles in 2012.

“I’ve been living in this zone of second-guessing my reads, second-guessing my stroke because I misread so many putts,” said Lehman, whose best finish this season is a tie for third at the Tradition. “Then I become less committed to the putt and start putting bad strokes on them. It’s kind of a cycle. It’s been a very frustrating last couple of years in that way.”

Of his seven birdie putts, the longest were three from about 15 feet.

Doug Garwood and England’s Roger Chapman were a stroke back at 66, and Mark O’Meara, Sandy Lyle, Jeff Sluman, Michael Allen, Bart Bryant, Kirk Triplett and John Inman shot 67.

Chapman made four straight birdies early in his round, then birdied the 11th and 14th holes en route to his best score of the season. He switched caddies this week, using veteran Angel Monguzzi.

“I felt totally in control,” Chapman said. “There have been times this year I’ve been anxious. Today, I was very relaxed going around with Angel. He seemed to be saying the right things at the right time.”

Garwood, a playoff loser this month in the Principal Charity Classic in Iowa, chipped in from the rough on the 13th for one of his eight birdies.

“It gave me a boost as far as being comfortable with all the players,” Garwood said about the second-place finish in Iowa.

Canada’s Rod Spittle opened with a 68 and was tied for 11th heading into the weekend. The other Canadian in the field, Jim Rutledge, carded a 75.

Colin Montgomerie, the Senior PGA Championship winner in his last tour start, had a 69.

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer shot 71. He had a double-bogey 7 on No. 6.

Defending champion Craig Stadler opened with a 73.

TORONTO  – Nike Golf announced that former Stanford athlete and former No.1-ranked amateur in the world Patrick Rodgers has joined the brand, signing a multi-year agreement to represent the Swoosh head-to-toe.

The 21-year-old, who was recently named the winner of the 2014 Haskins Award – given to the outstanding collegiate male golfer of the year – in addition to this year’s Ben Hogan Award and Jack Nicklaus Award, will use Nike Golf clubs, ball, footwear, glove, bag, apparel, headwear and accessories. Rodgers will make his professional debut as a Nike Golf Athlete at the Travelers Championship June 19-22 in Cromwell, Conn. He joins an elite group of fellow Nike Athletes who are also Haskins Award winners, including Tiger Woods, Kevin Chappell, David Duval, Russell Henley, Jamie Lovemark and Bob Tway.

Since switching to Nike Golf equipment earlier this year, Rodgers has won five out of his last seven college tournaments.

“Nike has always been behind the most elite players in every sport. To be joining the Nike stable is exciting because I know I am joining the best,” said Rodgers. “I was thrilled with the immediate impact the Nike equipment had on my game and I am excited for the future knowing I am aligning with the premier company in sport and golf.”

A three-time NCAA Division I All-American and 2014 PAC-12 Player of the Year at Stanford University, Rodgers broke the school record for lowest career stroke average of 71.1 set by Woods, with a 70.33 average score, and tied Woods’ all-time wins school record with 11 victories. A member of the 2011 and 2013 U.S. Walker Cup teams, the Avon, Ind. native also set a single-season scoring record this year of 69.4.

“Patrick’s phenomenal college career and outstanding achievements as an amateur make us excited and proud to welcome him to the Nike Golf family,” said Mark Thaxton, Senior Director of Global Sports Marketing Operations. “He is a tremendous athlete with a passion for sport and the Nike Brand, and we look forward to being a part of his continued success as a professional.”

Tiger Woods says he is rusty but ready to return to competition.

Woods announced Friday on his Facebook page that he will play next week at Congressional in the Quicken Loans National. This is the first year for a new title sponsor at the PGA Tour event that donates the charity money to the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Woods last played on March 9 at Doral, where he played with pain in his lower back and closed with a 78 to tie for 25th. He had back surgery on March 31, causing him to miss the Masters for the first time. He also missed the U.S. Open.

He says he is just starting to hit full shots and wants to play his way into competitive shape.

CORK, Ireland – Mikko Ilonen opened up a two-stroke lead at the Irish Open at the end of the second round as Rory McIlroy failed to make the cut by one shot.

Ilonen added a 2-under 68 to his opening round course record of 64 to move to 10 under on the Fota Island Resort course.

The 34-year old Finn birdied his opening hole but then stalled with eight straight pars ahead of an inward half that included four birdies.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (66), England’s Robert Rock (66) and Frenchman Romain Wattel (65) share second place on 8 under.

McIlroy’s second round 68 was a mix of a 10th hole eagle, six birdies and a double bogey at No. 4.