Sorenstam storms clear

Britain’s Janice Moodie moved into joint sixth place with a 71, but Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam claimed a two-shot lead with a 69 after three rounds of the US Women’s Open at Prairie Dunes in Kansas.

Sorenstam, the world No 1, was the only player to finish on the right side of par, and on two under 208 she was two ahead of a couple of Americans, Juli Inkster and Jill McGill.

Moodie was six back on 214, with Mhairi McKay and Laura Davies, who had a joint best of day 68, on 216.

‘‘I did a lot of things right today, but this is a very tough course and anything can still happen tomorrow,’’ said Sorenstam, who won the title back to back in 1995 and 1996 and has already won seven times worldwide this season.

In a three-way tie for the lead overnight, the 31-year-old moved ahead with birdies at the fifth and seventh in a flawless outward half. She did drop shots at the 12th and 14th, but a three at the par four 16th put her clear.

Inkster dropped a shot at the last for a 71, while McGill, who began her career in Europe and has never won in six years on the LPGA circuit, had a 69.

Moodie was fast out of the blocks with two birdies in the first four holes.

But she lost a ball and ran up a triple-bogey seven at the fifth. She did hit back with three birdies, but then dropped three shots in the final four holes.

‘‘It was the finish that was really disappointing,’’ she claimed. ‘‘I could really have been right in there tomorrow, but six is a lot to make up, especially on Annika.’’

Davies, who made the cut with just a shot to spare after opening rounds of 75 and 73, bounded through the field over the testing course thanks to a spree of four birdies in a row from the fourth.

She did go on to drop a couple of shots on the back nine, but she said: ‘‘It was an incredible run at the start and just what I needed to get back into things. It’s just a pity that I let it slip a little coming home.’’

McKay made her 71 with a fighting finish. Two over par after just five holes, she birdied the 16th and 18th from inside 10 feet to join Davies in a tie for 11th place.