Langer shoots 64 despite hiccups, leads U.S. Senior Open by four

LAKE ORION, Mich. – Bernhard Langer surged into the lead at the U.S. Senior Open on Saturday, shooting 6-under-par 64 in the third round to move to 10-under 200, putting him ahead by four strokes.

The two-time Masters champion opened with three straight birdies and eight in 12 holes. The 54-year-old Langer had a double bogey at 13 and a bogey at 18 to give the field a glimmer of hope today.

Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin were in a five-way tie for second at 6-under 204.

Fred Couples moved up the leaderboard with a 65. He was part of a pack, along with Fred Funk and Jay Haas, that was five shots back at the Champion Tour’s fourth of five majors.

Second-round leader Lance Ten Broeck shot 72 and is six strokes back.

■ PGA – At Silvis, Ill., Troy Matteson shot 5-under 66 for an 18-under 198 total and a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the John Deere Classic.

Steve Stricker, who also shot 66, sits in second place at 201 in his quest for a fourth straight John Deere title. Stricker birdied four straight holes beginning at the 14th, but bogeyed the par-4 18th, stubbing a chip shot and missing a 15-footer for par.

Matteson and Stricker bogeyed the last hole, setting up their final-round pairing together at TPC Deere Run, where Stricker, a Wisconsin native who was an All-American at Illinois, has become a local favorite by winning the past three years.

■ EUROPEAN PGA – At Inverness, Scotland, Francesco Molinari held off a barrage of challengers at the Scottish Open by shooting a bogey-free 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead.

The Italian had a 17-under 199 total, with Anders Hansen of Denmark in second at 200 after a 65. Phil Mickelson shot 65 and was three shots back, and top-ranked Luke Donald (68) was at 203.

■ PUBLIC LINKS - At Midway, Utah, T.J. Vogel made six birdies over a seven-hole stretch, coasting to a 12-and-10 blowout over Kevin Aylwin in the 36-hole final at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Vogel, a senior at Florida, gained a spot in the 2013 Masters.