HUMBLE, Texas: Phil Mickelson gave his preparations for next week's US Masters a timely boost by rocketing into a share of the lead in the third round of the Houston Open Saturday. The American left-hander, five strokes off the pace overnight, equalled the course record with a blistering nine-under-par 63 at Redstone Golf Club to post a 13-under total of 203. Masters champion Mickelson rattled off nine birdies in a flawless display to end the day level with compatriot Steve Verplank, who eagled the par-four 10th on the way to a 65. Australian Aaron Baddeley, bidding for his second PGA Tour victory this year, carded a 66 to share third place at 12 under with American Chris Kirk, the overnight leader, who shot a 69. Defending champion Anthony Kim carded a 69 to share fifth place with Canadian David Hearn (66) at 11 under, two ahead of Ireland's Padraig Harrington who had been just one stroke off the lead before bogeying the last three holes for a 70. Tseng in control World No. 1 Yani Tseng moved a step closer to retaining her Kraft Nabisco Championship title after relentlessly overhauling American Stacy Lewis in Saturday's third round at Rancho Mirage, California. Three strokes behind playing partner Lewis overnight in the opening women's major of the season, the in-form Tseng fired a superb six-under-par 66 to end a blustery afternoon two ahead of the chasing pack. The long-hitting Taiwanese recorded six birdies in a flawless display at Mission Hills Country Club on a sun-baked course playing fast and firm for a 12-under total of 204. Tseng, who claimed last year's title by one shot over Norway's Suzann Pettersen, will go into Sunday's final round as a heavy favorite to land her fourth major victory. She has already triumphed four times across the globe this year and her power game is ideally suited to the 6,738-yard Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills. “I'm not afraid that I have a two-shot lead. I just want to enjoy it and I know how to play one shot at a time.” Lewis, who duelled for the lead with Tseng for most of the day, slipped back with a three-putt bogey at the 16th to finish alone in second after carding a 71. On a high-quality leaderboard, 2007 champion Morgan Pressel was alone in third at eight under after a 69, two strokes better than fellow American Michelle Wie, who also shot a 69. Wie, who produced three top-10s in her first four appearances at Mission Hills as a teenager, reeled off four birdies in six holes on the back nine but missed a two-foot putt. Horsey wins in Morocco David Horsey of England won a three-man playoff to earn his second European Tour title Sunday, taking the Trophee Hassan II after hitting a hole in one during the final round at Agadir, Morocco. Horsey was one shot ahead of defending champion Rhys Davies of Wales and two clear of Dutch golfer Jaco Van Zyl with one hole to play, only to be forced into the playoff after double-bogeying the last. All three players parred the first extra hole and Horsey won on the second with a birdie. Like Davies, Horsey shot a 3-under 69 in the final round while Van Zyl hit a 68. All three finished on 13-under 274. Horsey became the fourth Englishman to win the event, after Peter Townsend (1978), Martin Gates (1994) and Roger Chapman (2000). Thomas Bjorn of Denmark set a course-record 62 to finish at 6
