WENTWORTH, England, 30 May 2004 — Argentine Angel Cabrera snatched the lead in the Volvo PGA Championship third round yesterday, moving a stroke clear after a blistering run from the turn paved the way for a four-under-par 68.

The former caddie from Cordoba went birdie-birdie-eagle from the 10th to the 12th to finish at 12-under 204 going into the final day, but the tournament remains wide open with four players tied for second place.

Overnight leader Justin Rose of Briton produced an up-and-down 72 to end up a shot off the pace, level with Swede Joakim Haeggman, South African Darren Fichardt and Britain’s Scott Drummond, yet to win on tour and playing in his first PGA Championship.

Britain’s Darren Clarke was alone in sixth at 10 under after carding a 71, with tournament favorite and first round leader Ernie Els a further stroke back in a share of seventh, alongside six-times major champion Nick Faldo and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn.

World No. 3 Els recovered from a poor front nine to get back on to the congested leaderboard, chipping in for eagle at the 17th and then collecting a birdie at the last for a level-par 72. His rankings rival Vijay Singh, though, will have to produce something spectacular to get back into the hunt for the $750,000 first prize and stave off Els’ bid to replace him as world number two.

Despite two closing birdies, the tall Fijian slipped back into a tie for 18th at six under, his 71 leaving him six shots behind Cabrera.

Four-time PGA Championship winner Faldo, 46, rolled back the years on his favorite course to finish three off the lead, in a good position to boost his Ryder Cup hopes when he plays his 100th round in the tournament today.

Cabrera is bidding for his first Wentworth title, but fancies his chances in the European Tour’s flagship event.

Els, however, could be Cabrera’s greatest threat in the final round as the South African hunts the world ranking points that could lift him close behind No. 1 Tiger Woods.

Colin Montgomerie’s bid to win the event and also seal his British Open exemption is as good as over, as is his chance of regaining a top-50 place in the world rankings to qualify automatically for next month’s US Open.

The seven-times European No. 1, a three-times winner of the event, struggled to a 73 that left him nine strokes adrift of Cabrera.

Britain’s Simon Khan became the latest European Tour player to fall foul of a slow-play penalty when he was docked a shot for poor times on the ninth and 12th.

Defending Champ Toms Snaps Slump to Seize PGA Lead

In Memphis, Tennessee, defending champion David Toms snapped out of a season-long slump with his best PGA round of 2004, firing an eight-under par 63 Friday to grab a one-stroke lead midway through the St. Jude Classic.

A depleted field lacking most of the sport’s top stars struggled to stay within reach of Toms, who finished 36 holes at 12-under par 130, one stroke ahead of fellow American Vaughn Taylor and five ahead of third-place Ben Crane.

Four other Americans, including John Daly, were on 136. At 15th, Daly is the top money winner playing here in the $4.7 million event.

Toms, ranked 16th in the world, is the highest-ranked player in the field. The former PGA Championship winner has struggled with a wrist injury, finishing 44th at the Colonial.

Toms had two top-10 finishes early in the year but missed the cut in six of his past 11 events, including five of the last seven. His previous best round this year was a 65 in the third round at Doral in March.

After a morning rain left the greens soft, Toms was able to take full advantage as he had a bogey-free round that included an eagle and six birdies. Toms got off to a blistering start, with a birdie at the par-4 second hole and — for the second straight day — an eagle at the par-5 third.

Estill Edges Past Sorenstam Into LPGA Lead

In Corning, New York, American Michelle Estill, who has not won an LPGA event in 13 years, fired an eight-under par 64 here on Friday to seize a one-stroke lead over Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam at the Corning Classic.

Starting on the back nine, Estill had eight birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in her second round to stand at 13-under 131 through 36 holes at the one million-dollar event.

Estill will face the pressure of playing alongside Sorenstam in the third round as they try to charge toward a $150,000- first prize.

Estill won her only LPGA tournament in 1991, missing six months last season with back problems. She has not had a top-10 finish since a share of eighth at the 2001 Betsy King Classic. Sorenstam has played just five events this season, but has won twice and earned $546,483. She is competing in this event for the first time since 1995. Last year she missed the cut at the PGA Colonial instead of playing here.