CLIFTON, N.J. - The list of names crowded atop the Sybase Classic leader board is an eclectic grouping of major champions, unheralded internationals and one former child prodigy hoping to finally turn to the next chapter in her frequently debated and oft criticized golf career.
South Korea's Ji Young Oh, an LPGA rookie in 2007, and Suzann Pettersen, a five-time winner on Tour in 2007, vaulted ahead of second round leader Brittany Lincicome Saturday and into a share of the lead at 12-under-par. But it's anybody's tournament, as seven players enter Sunday's final round within five shots of the lead.
The most notable among the contenders are Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer, who came from behind to become the youngest-ever winner on the LPGA Tour at the 2005 Sybase Classic. Wie and Creamer both shot 68 on Saturday to put themselves into position for a final round charge on what is expected to be a chilly and wet day at Upper Montclair Country Club.
Brittany Lincicome began Saturday in front by two strokes but again couldn't decipher the subtle breaks and bounces in the greens, frequently settling for par when birdie looked to be well in hand.
"I'm not at all satisfied," said Lincicome, who is a shot back after finishing the day at 11-under. "Couldn't get a putt to go in. I'm hitting it good. Had a lot of 10-footers, and every once in a while I should be able to make one. I'm thankful to still be near the top. I'll just go out tomorrow and stick to my game plan, try to birdie the par 5s and see what happens."
The biggest crowds and speculation have surrounded Wie, who last won a meaningful golf tournament at the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship at the tender age of 13.
"It would mean a lot," Wie said of what it would mean to win her first LPGA event. "I think about it a lot. I'm gonna have fun tomorrow, hit each shot with confidence and see where it takes me."
Wie followed that statement up by invoking Adam Sandler's character in Happy Gilmore to describe her, and much of the field's, dilemma on the greens.
"I'm just trying to send the ball home," Wie said. "It won't go home. Tomorrow, I think it will go home."
Sunday Wie will again be grouped with Creamer, the 22-year-old American who is known for proudly displaying her pink during the final round. Creamer could've realistically found herself in the final group, but her second shot found the water on the par-4 12th and she could only manage double bogey. Creamer also missed a very makeable birdie on 18, and hunched over in frustration as the shot slipped past the cup.
They'll be joined by Hee Young Park, who recorded the best round of any of the leaders on Saturday, shooting a 5-under 67.
Pettersen, Oh and Lincicome will again be the final group. During Saturday's round, Oh's short but steady approach was just as effective as her much longer playing partners.
"I'm really short," said Oh. "Brittany and Suzann are really good drivers, almost hit it 300. Doesn't matter. I just focus on my own game, my style."
Any number of styles and approaches could make for a winner on Sunday, but the golf course dictates that you'll need to find fairways and stick your irons close to have a chance.
"It's a hard golf course," said Lincicome. "The rough is really thick. So if you miss it by an inch, you're pretty much punching out. It's pretty difficult and obviously the greens are hard too."
"(The approach) is pretty similar to what you've done the last three days," said Pettersen. "Try to go out there and put yourself in position off the tee. I think that's the most important thing here. The greens are big enough, so keep hitting fairways and give yourself a chance to be aggressive to certain pins; I think that's the key."
For complete tournament results, visit www.lpga.com. For final round pairings, go to ww.sybaseclassic.com .