Matthew and Moodie both return 69s in LPGA Tour event

Ochoa's five late birdies help her share

third-round lead with Gustafson
Both Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie shot third-round 69s on the LPGA Tour in California on Saturday. Catriona is now on six-under-par 210, Janice on 213. Lorena Ochoa (65) and Sophie Gustafson shared the lead on 16-under 200.
FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
DANVILLE, Calif. (AP) -- Lorena Ochoa insists she wasn't bothered when critics questioned her game earlier this year. If anything, the world's top-ranked player agreed with them.
"I respect the opinion of the media and the players, and the results show I wasn't playing my best golf, so it's OK for people to talk," Ochoa said. "I also say that I've been working hard and I feel much better. I feel that I'm getting in a better rhythm and that's why I'm here today."
Ochoa, pictured, birdied five of her last seven holes for a 7-under 65 on Saturday and a share of the third-round lead with Sophie Gustafson in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
Winless in 10 starts since taking the Corona Championship in her native Mexico in late April, Ochoa has only two victories in 16 events this year after winning 21 times in the previous three years.
She was four strokes back after 10 holes, then used the strong finish -- including a 16ft birdie putt on the 18th hole -- to match Gustafson at 16-under 200.
Gustafson, winless since 2003, had a 66. She spent 30min on the practice putting green working on her stroke following Friday's second round.
"My putting was much better," Gustafson said. "My caddie figured out what I was doing wrong and worked on that. My backstroke was too short and I was seriously moving my head."
Angela Stanford and Sun Young Yoo were six strokes back at 10 under after 69s, and Paula Creamer (69), Morgan Pressel (67) Leta Lindley (66) and Maria Hjorth (72) followed at 9 under on the Blackhawk Country Club course.
Ochoa, playing in the same group as Gustafson, couldn't match the Swede's power off the tee, but made up for it around the greens. The Mexican star had a bogey-free round, overcoming swirling winds that seemed to change direction at every tee.
She had only two birdies on the front nine, then warmed up on the back after falling four strokes back when Gustafson birdied No. 10 to reach 15 under.
"I left some birdie opportunities out there on the front nine, definitely," Ochoa said. "I told myself, 'Just keep doing the same thing and be patient.' I dropped a few good putts and that was really the difference today."
Ochoa made consecutive birdies, while Gustafson three-putted the par-3 12th for a bogey. Ochoa birdied No. 15 to move into a tie.
Gustafson then birdied No. 17 to reach 16 under.
Ochoa's approach shot on the 18th rolled 16ft past the hole, but she sank the putt for birdie, raising her first as the crowd cheered. Gustafson made a par.
Unlike the first two days when her putting gave her problems, Gustafson was fairly steady around the greens, holing five putts of 20 feet or longer and she came within one stroke of matching her opening-round 65. She sank a 20-footer for birdie on No. 10, survived her three- putt on the 12th, then made short birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17.
Gustafson has had seven runner-up finishes since winning the 2003 Samsung World Championship. To end that streak of near-misses, she needs to hold off the No. 1-ranked player Sunday.
"I'm not really that worried," Gustafson said. "It's a full-time job taking care of myself so I don't really pay that much attention to what other people are doing."
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Blackhawk Country Club, Danville, California.
Par 216 (3x72)
200 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 68 67 65, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 65 69 66
206 Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 73 64 69, Angela Stanford 67 70 69
207 Paula Creamer 71 67 69, Morgan Pressel 71 69 67, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 69 66 72, Leta Lindley 70 71 66
208 Vicky Hurst 71 67 70, Amy Yang 72 67 69, Christina Kim 70 73 65, Katherine Hull (Aus) 72 68 68, Amanda Blumenherst 70 71 67
209 Natalie Gulbis 73 66 70, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 68 71 70, Anna Grzebien 69 71 69
210 Yani Tseng (Tai) 69 70 71, Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 67 72 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 71 70 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 69 68 73, Brittany Lang 71 70 69, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 68 67 75, Kris Tamulis 70 70 70
211 Alena Sharp (Can) 70 72 69
212 Jimin Jeong 73 73 66, Karrie Webb (Aus) 68 75 69, Reilley Rankin 70 69 73, Haeji Kang (Kor) 72 68 72, Brittany Lincicome 72 70 70, Candie Kung (Tai) 73 70 69
213 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 69 68 76, Jamie Hullett 70 74 69, Juli Inkster 71 72 70, Na Ri Kim (Kor) 67 76 70, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 71 73 69, Janice Moodie (Sco) 73 71 69, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 68 74 71
214 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 72 68 74, In-Kyung Kim (Kor) 73 72 69, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 75 70 69, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 73 68 73, Sarah Lee 73 70 71, Pat Hurst 73 67 74
215 Stephanie Louden 70 72 73, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 75 70 70, Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 69 75 71, Wendy Ward 70 72 73, Sandra Gal (Ger) 70 72 73
216 Kim Welch 69 75 72, Paige Mackenzie 74 70 72, Meena Lee (Kor) 70 74 72, Beth Bader 69 72 75, Diana D'Alessio 70 73 73, Michele Redman 72 74 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 69 72 75, Marisa Baena 73 73 70, Teresa Lu (Tai) 71 70 75, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 71 72 73
217 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 74 71 72, Mindy Kim 72 70 75, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 72 71 74, Karen Stupples (Eng) 73 70 74, Kim Hall 72 72 73, Allison Fouch 73 71 73
218 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 73 73 72, Stacy Prammanasudh 75 68 75, Jill McGill 74 71 73, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 72 72, Jin young Pak (Kor) 76 70 72
219 Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 74 73, Brandi Jackson 75 71 73
220 Chella Choi (Kor) 71 75 74, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 72 74 74, Moira Dunn 72 74 74, Katie Futcher 72 74 74
221 Lisa Strom (Gbr) 70 75 76
222 Kristy McPherson 73 72 77
223 Kris Tschetter 70 74 79
225 Audra Burks 72 74 79.