PACIFIC PALISADES, California: Australian Aaron Baddeley charged past PGA Tour veteran Fred Couples with a sizzling front nine to grab a one-shot lead in Saturday's third round of the Northern Trust Open. Two strokes behind the pacesetting Couples when the delayed second round was completed earlier in the day, Baddeley fired a four-under-par 67 to take control at Riviera Country Club. The 29-year-old Australian raced to the turn in four-under 31 before posting a 10-under total of 203 on a cool day of fluctuating weather. Fan favorite Couples, defying back pain in pursuit of his first victory on the US circuit in eight years, carded a 70 to share second place with fellow American Kevin Na (67). Former world No. 1 Vijay Singh of Fiji, who will celebrate his 48th birthday Tuesday, was a further stroke back at eight-under after two birdies in the last three holes earned him a 67. Couples, long beloved at Riviera where he has won twice, was delighted to stay in the title hunt after contending with heavy showers early on the back nine having started the third round in dazzling sunshine. South Korea-born Na, seeking his maiden PGA Tour victory, has set his sights on a breakthrough win at Riviera to honor his father, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year. “He's in Korea right now getting treatment,” said Na. American world No. 4 Phil Mickelson, winner here in 2008 and 2009, dropped out of contention with a 74 that left him a distant 12 strokes off the pace. Tseng wins in Thailand Top-ranked Yani Tseng of Taiwan earned her third tournament win in three weeks Sunday, shooting a 6-under 66 to pull away for a comfortable five-shot victory over Michelle Wie in the LPGA Thailand. Tseng led by one stroke over Wie and I.K. Kim of South Korea going into the final round and had the lowest score of the day with seven birdies and one bogey, for a 15-under total of 273. Wie settled for a 70 to finish second in the season-opening LPGA event, while Kim was another shot back in a tie for third with Karrie Webb. Tseng took over the No. 1 ranking after winning back-to-back Ladies European Tour events, first the Australian Open and then the Australian Ladies Masters title last weekend. Tseng will have a chance for a fourth straight victory at next week's tournament in Singapore. Chowrasia bags Avantha India's SSP Chowrasia took his second Asian Tour title in dramatic fashion on home soil after Robert Coles bogeyed his closing hole to hand him victory at the Avantha Masters in New Delhi Sunday. The tournament, worth 1.8 million euros ($2.4 million), appeared destined for a play-off between Coles and Chowrasia before the Englishman fluffed his lines on the 18th and gave the 32-year-old Indian his first win since 2008. Chowrasia closed with a five-under-par 67 for a winning total of 15-under-par 273 while Coles took second place after rounds of 70, 67, 67 and 70 at the DLF Golf and Country Club. France's Gregory Havret took a third placed 13-under 275, with the Netherlands' Robert-Jan Derksen in fourth and Indian Asian Tour rookie Sujjan Singh tied fifth alongside Spain's Pablo Larrazabal on 277.
