Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee won the $2.9 million Ballantine's Championship after a three-way playoff Sunday against Kang Wook-soon and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Thongchai closed with a 2-under 70 to finish with the 4-under total 284 along with first-round leader Fernandez-Castano and Kang, who carded a 68 in the fourth round. The two-time Asian No. 1 won the playoff when he birdied the extra hole, the par 4 18th, for his second win in a jointly sanctioned Asian and European Tour event in two months. Fernandez-Castano, who closed with a 3-under 69, overshot the green with his second shot and had to chip back with his third. Kang missed a birdie chance from six feet and Thongchai made no mistake with his putt from three feet. Ernie Els finished in a four-way tie for fourth place, two shots off the pace at 2 under. Former US Masters winner Fred Couples finished at 10 over. Kelly extends lead In Houston, American Jerry Kelly fired a bogey-free three-under 69 to surge three shots clear after the third round of the New Orleans Classic in Avondale, Louisiana, Saturday. Fellow American Steve Marino recorded a 68 for the second day in a row, mixing eight birdies with a double-bogey and two bogeys to sit three off the pace on 206 in pursuit of his maiden PGA Tour win. Five golfers lurk a further shot behind; Americans Aaron Watkins (69), Charles Howell III (70) and John Rollins (71), South Korean Charlie Wi (71), and Australian Rod Pampling (68), who closed his round with four consecutive birdies. Ochoa leads In Mexico, top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, seeking a third title in four years at her homeland LPGA event, fired a four-under par 69 Saturday to hold a one-stroke lead after 54 holes at the Corona Championship. Defending champion Ochoa fired eight birdies but also had two bogeys and a double bogey in a roller-coaster third round to stand on 20-under par 199, one stroke better than Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who fired a 67 Saturday.
