Sherri Steinhauer from the USA

(Royal Lytham & St Annes, UK – August 5th 2006) – American veteran Sherri Steinhauer, who won back-to-back Weetabix Women’s British Open titles in 1998 and 1999, came from five shots behind to take a three shot lead following the third round of the Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes GC on Saturday.

The 43-year-old American, who won the tournament on the same course in 1998 and at Woburn in 1999 before it was given major championship status, fired a third round 66 to seize the lead on seven-under-par with a 54-hole tally of 209.

In a 20-year career on the US LPGA Tour Steinhauer has collected six titles including the 1992 Du Maurier Classic, which was a major championship at the time.

She admitted that it would be “a huge bonus” to win this week now that the British Open is a major but joked, “When anyone asks how many tournaments I've won, when I say the British Open, they just assume it was a major, and I just don't say anything.”

In 1998, the American recovered from a first round 81 to take the title by a stroke so she is no stranger to chasing titles.

“In '98 I came from the back of the pack. But you know, being a front runner is a different position. I'm not going to hide it. I'll definitely be nervous and I just hope I can keep my nerves under control and just enjoy the position,” she said. “Just I have to I just have to keep talking to myself and not worry about what position I'm in and just play one shot at a time out there.”

Steinhauer, from Madison in Wisconsin, last won at the 2004 Sybase Classic in New York and admitted that she would be trying to keep her nerves under control in the final round. Although not a leader board watcher, she said she would keep in touch with the scores through her caddie, Bob Kendall. “He'll keep me informed if I fall behind or you know, whatever. He knows when to talk to me. He'll give me good body language that I can read,” she said.

Steinhauer fired rounds of 73 and 70 over the first two days at Royal Lytham, in colder, more difficult conditions. She grew up in a windy area so was not too affected by the elements.

“It was set up a bit easier to play than it was with the wind we had Thursday and Friday, along with it being a little cooler. I always play better when it's a little bit warmer. These old bones, they loosen up a little bit more with a little heat,” she joked.

Steinhauer’s front nine was steady, with just one birdie at the third hole, where she hit an eight-iron in and made a 30-footer, but she played the more difficult back nine in five-under-par 32, with birdies at holes 11, 13 and 16 – and an eagle at the par-five 15th.

At the 15th, she holed a 50 foot putt from off the green for eagle. It broke from left to right and then came back from right to left before snaking its way back perfectly to the middle of the hole.

Karen Stupples

At the par-5 11th, Steinhauer hit a driver and laid-up with a 6 iron. A three quarter punch wedge left her a five feet putt for birdie. On 13, she chipped in with a sand wedge from about 25 feet after a punch nine-iron approach flew just through the green and at the par-four 16th, she hit her 3 wood off the tee; played a knock down wedge into the green to about three feet, and made the birdie putt.

Steinhauer leads over four players on four-under-par: the first and second round leader Juli Inkster, her fellow American who had held a three stroke lead overnight. Inkster carded a miserable third round 74 which included two double bogeys at the seventh and tenth holes, plus four birdies and two further bogeys.

Sophie Gustafson, who began the day at one-under, had a 69 and is looking for her first major. She won the tournament when it was played at Royal Birkdale in 2000, but that was a year before it was given major championship status.

Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa, the World no.4, had a best of the tournament seven-under-par 65 today which included seven birdies and no bogeys.

Karen Stupples, the best placed Briton, remained well in contention after a third round 70 which included three birdies and one bogey. She used an old faithful mallet head putter today and was in the hunt to earn her second British Open title after she won at Sunningdale in 2004.