TOLEDO, Ohio – Bruce Lietzke has gone lower than 64, but never with so much riding on it.

One of the best rounds of Lietzke’s 29-year pro career powered him to a four-stroke lead through Saturday’s third round of the U.S. Senior Open.

Lietzke’s 7-under 64 – which included five birdies on the home nine – left him at 9-under 204 heading into the final round. He has never before won a major championship, although he’s had close calls over a long and productive career.

Vicente Fernandez, who started the day with a one-stroke lead over Tom Watson, shot a 71 and was deadlocked with Watson for second place at 5-under 208. Watson had a 70 that included pars on his final 10 holes.

Lietzke opened and closed his round with birdies. In between, he never seemed to be out of position and seldom hit a bad shot – or at least one from which he couldn’t recover.

His 64 was five strokes better than the next best score in the third round – just as Fernandez’s 64 was the day before.

Lietzke played the final 10 holes in 6 under, again and again pulling off stunning shots as he skirted trouble with sometimes errant drives.

After letting a share of the lead slip away with two bogeys on the front side, Lietzke hit a 7 iron to 16 feet at the bunker-surrounded ninth hole to pull within a shot of Watson’s lead.

He pulled even at No. 11, coming out of the heavy rough with a 9 iron approach that ended up 6 inches from the pin.

The Texan then strung together three birdies in a row to take command.

Johnson takes lead

at St. Jude Classic

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Sweden’s Richard Johnson shot a steady 2-under 69 Saturday, giving the PGA Tour rookie a one-stroke lead over David Toms after three rounds of the St. Jude Classic.

Johnson, trying to win his first PGA Tour title in just his 14th start, had a 14-under 199 total. Toms birdied two of his final three holes for a 65. He will be looking for his second victory this year and ninth in his career.

Tim Herron (65), Lee Janzen (67), Fredrik Jacobson (68) and David Peoples (70) were two strokes back. Ben Crane (64) was at 202, and Notah Begah (64) and third-round co-leader John Huston (73) were in a group at 203.

Johnson, who was on the PGA European Tour between 2000 and 2002, stayed with Huston through the first five holes at 13 under and fell a stroke back when Huston birdied the par-4 sixth.

Johnson turned in his fifth straight par, then grabbed another share of the lead when he birdied the 169-yard eighth.

Stanford leads ShopRite

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Angela Stanford was in uncharted territory. And she liked it.

After taking a one-shot lead in the ShopRite LPGA Classic on Saturday, she found herself in the interview area at the Seaview Marriott Resort, facing a roomful of reporters.

Stanford, 25, of Saginaw, Texas, has yet to win since joining the LPGA Tour in 2000.

For the moment, she was clinging to the lead over Juli Inkster and three others, while the tour’s top player – Annika Sorenstam – lurked four shots back.

Stanford, who came into the day sharing the lead with two others, used solid iron play and putting to card five birdies en route to a two-day total of 132.

Four players were bunched up one shot behind her, including two-time Classic champ Inkster, while 13-year-old Michelle Wie was 11 strokes back after a 72.