VIRGINIA WATER, England, 30 May 2005 — Argentina’s Angel Cabrera held off a strong challenge by Irishman Paul McGinley to win the BMW Championship by two shots yesterday.

Cabrera, joint leader overnight with Swede Peter Hedblom, fired a five-under-par 67 to secure his first European Tour title in three years with a 72-hole total of 15-under 273.

The 35-year-old from Cordoba, whose last win came at the 2002 Benson and Hedges International Open, effectively sealed the third Tour title of his career with three birdies in the last eight holes at an overcast Wentworth Club.

McGinley, who briefly held the lead after making five birdies in the first eight holes, returned a 67 to finish second with Australia’s Nick O’Hern a further two shots back in third after firing a best-of-the-day 64. Hedblom fell back into a share of seventh after returning a 74.

Leonard Moves Eight Clear at St. Jude Classic

In Memphis, Tennessee, American Justin Leonard extended his lead to eight strokes at the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, firing a flawless four-under 66 to move within sight of his second win of the season. It was the second bogey-free round at the TPC at Southwind for the former British Open champion, splitting four birdies between the front and back nine to sit on 17-under 193, eight shots clear of Heath Slocum.

After an opening round eight-under 62, Leonard has remained atop the leaderboard. He started the day with a five-shot lead and never took his foot off the gas, having carded just one bogey all week.

Scrambling to close ground on Leonard, Slocum had a rollercoaster afternoon as he mixed six birdies with three bogeys for a three-under 67 to sit in second on nine-under 201. Tom Pernice Jr had a two-under 68 and is one shot further adrift at eight-under 202 followed by Fred Funk (66), Davis Love III (68) and Paul Goydos (70) all on 203.

Two-time defending champion David Toms fired a third round five-under 65 to rocket up the leaderboard into a tie for seventh at six-under 204.

France’s Icher Leads Sorenstam by Two Shots at Corning Classic

In Corning, New York, France’s Karine Icher fired a 68 to move to 12-under 204 and a slim lead over Annika Sorenstam heading into the final round of the $1.1 million LPGA Corning Classic.

“She is a very big champion,” Icher said of Sweden’s Sorenstam. “I’m a fan of hers, so I will try to play my game, not her game. I know it’s difficult, but to be focusing on my game is the secret.”

South Korea’s Han Hee-won is also still lurking after using a record tying round on Saturday to pull within a shot of Icher.

Han birdied four of her first five holes and four of her last five to match the course record with a 10-under-par 62 that has her in the hunt.