Ward moves on to Match Play semis

Fourteenth-seeded Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., advanced to the semifinals of the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship on Saturday, defeating 59th seed Sophie Gustafson 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals at Gladstone, N.J.

“Coming into this week, I said I thought this was anybody’s tournament after just playing the course one time,” Ward said. “I doesn’t really surprise me to see the final four players that have gotten this far.”

Ward, 32, is the only semifinalist with a victory this season. She won the LPGA Takefuji Classic in April for her fourth career title.

Ward’s opponent in today’s semifinal will be 47th-seeded Meena Lee, a 23-year-old rookie from South Korea. Lee defeated No. 39 Pat Hurst 1-up in the quarterfinals.

The other semifinal will pit No. 8 Candie Kung against No. 60 Marisa Baena, who defeated six-time major champion Karrie Webb 2 and 1. Kung knocked off top-seeded Annika Sorenstam 1-up in the quarterfinals.

“I made one more putt than she did. That’s how I won,” Kung said.

Sorenstam, never comfortable with the slow pace on Hamilton Farm’s rain-soaked greens, blew a two-hole lead with four to play.

“Of course I’m disappointed,” Sorenstam said. “I had a great chance – 2-up with four to go. … Candie played very well. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. To finish with a bogey doesn’t make you very happy.”

After conceding a 2-foot par putt to the eighth-seeded Kung on the par-4 18th, the top-seeded Sorenstam slid her 8-foot par try right of the hole to end a frustrating week on the greens.

PGA

Ben Curtis sure knows how to please a crowd.

The 2003 British Open champion sported another Chicago Bears golf shirt and visor at the Western Open in Lemont, Ill., then rolled in a 3-footer on 18 for a birdie and a share of the lead with Jim Furyk. Curtis (66) and Furyk (67) are at 12-under-par 201 after 54 holes.

But both should keep a close eye on the scoreboard because there are plenty of people behind them – including the world’s two best players.

Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh may have started poorly, but they’re making up for it. Woods shot a 4-under 67 and is tied for fourth with Shaun Micheel at 206, five strokes back. Singh flirted with the course record of 63 before settling for a 65 that leaves him six strokes back.

Tim Herron (70) is alone in third at three strokes back. Second-round leader Chris Couch struggled to a 74 and is at 6-under 207.

Champions Tour

Ron Streck didn’t come close to matching his spectacular opening round at the Commerce Bank Championship in East Meadow, N.Y. Still, he leads entering the final round of a tournament for the first time.

Streck, looking for his first Champions Tour title, followed his first-round 62 with a 3-under 68, staying two strokes in front with a total of 12-under 130 after 36 holes.

Tom Jenkins had a second-round 63 on the 6,989-yard Red Course at Eisenhower Park and was tied for second with Dave Eichelberger (67) and Craig Stadler (68). Five players were another stroke back, setting up what could be the tour’s fifth straight playoff to decide a winner.

This is the first time in his 28-plus years on the PGA and Champions tours that Streck has entered the final round with a lead.

“I was just trying to do the same thing I did yesterday,” Streck said, referring to his nine-birdie, no-bogey opening round that had him two strokes in front. “I didn’t hit as close as I did yesterday, obviously, and (today) I’ll just try to play the same.”