Edoardo Molinari takes a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Barclays Scottish Open after shooting a third round 8-under 63 Saturday, including an eagle and seven birdies. The Italian is 15-under overall at Loch Lomond, ahead of Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke on 14-under. Molinari, the former US Amateur Champion, could also face competition from his younger brother, Francesco Molinari, who shot 67 and is tied for third on 8 under with Sweden's Peter Hedblom (69). Edoardo Molinari said playing with his brother in the final round threesome could help him lift the $745,000 first place check. Edoardo Molinari has yet to win a European strokeplay event while Clarke has 12 to his name. But Clarke who has not won in two years, has slipped to 179th in the world and recently said he was considering retiring from golf. Clarke shot 67 Saturday even though he had seen Molinari's run of birdies erode the three-shot lead he held at halfway of the tournament. US Open champion Graeme McDowell struggled to make the cut with two level 71s but showed signs of getting back into form in the third round. Creamer, Yokomine in front In Pennsylvania, American Paula Creamer and Sakura Yokomine of Japan shared a one-stroke lead at the end of the second round of the weather-hit US Women's Open at Oakmont Country Club Saturday. Ninety-eight players had to return early Saturday morning after thunderstorms pounded the Pittsburgh suburb, dumping five cms of of rain on the championship layout that has been host to 12 majors. Despite a softening of Oakmont's notoriously fast, sloping greens, Creamer's one-under-par 70 was the only sub-par round posted after play was resumed and put her on level-par 142 along with Yokomine, who shot her second successive 71. One stroke off the pace were overnight leaders Cristie Kerr, the world No. 1, and fellow-American Brittany Lang. Jang Jeong of South Korea, the 2005 Women's British Open winner, was poised to join Kerr and Lang at one over, before a double-bogey at the 18th dropped her to 145. Suzann Pettersen of Norway (71) and Sophie Gustafson of Sweden (72), playing under Saturday's sunny skies, joined American Christina Kim on two-over 144. Sixty-eight players made the cut, which was set at 10 over par to include all those within 10 shots of the lead. Stricker leapfrogs Goydos Steve Stricker leapfrogged past Paul Goydos despite his stunning, first-round 59 to take a one-stroke lead over his fellow-American after Friday's second round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. Defending champion Stricker followed up his own sizzling opening-round 60 with a five-under-par 66 to reach the halfway mark at the TPC Deere Run course at 16-under-par 126. Goydos, who had 12 birdies Thursday, had his bogey-free streak snapped after 31 holes when he bogeyed the 14th and 17th holes of the day to card a three-under 68 for a 127 total. World No. 4 Stricker said following up a great round with another good score can be a challenge. Tied for third place at 11-under-par 131 were Americans Jeff Maggert, George McNeill and Australian Matt Jones. Another stroke back were Aaron Baddeley of Australia and Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe.
