BENTON HARBOR, MI. – Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie is in the World Golf Hall of Fame, but he has yet to win a tournament in the United States. That could change Sunday when he takes a one-shot lead over Germany’s Bernhard Langer into the final round of the 75th PGA Championship at Harbor Shores.

Montgomerie and Langer will be playing together for the fourth straight day in the climax to the second major tourney of the season on the Champions Tour.

The difference in their status after 54 holes came off Montgomerie’s 30-foot downhill putt on the final hole of Saturday’s round. It gave Montgomerie a 68 and three-round total of 7-under-par 206. Langer shot 69.

Montgomerie was a Ryder Cup star for Europe and a runner-up in three U.S. Opens, one British Open and one PGA Championship. This year he opted to join the 50-and-over circuit rather than play the European PGA Tour, his home circuit throughout his pro career.

“I came here to enjoy myself,’’ said Montgomerie. “The last five years on the European Tour weren’t as enjoyable as it is here. I’m on the Champions Tour now and loving it.’’

That’ll be underscored next month when he comes back from Scotland for his next tournament — the Encompass Championship at North Shore Country Club in Glenview.

“I hear that course is lovely,’’ said Montgomerie, “and Mike Galeski, the tournament director, runs a great show. He was with Callaway when I was with them, so I look forward to playing in his tournament.’’

Montgomerie isn’t as excited about going head-to-head with the slow-moving Langer in the final round of the Senior PGA.

“I’ve known Bernhard for 30 yards, and I’ll enjoy it,’’ said Montgomerie, “but playing with Bernhard is different. You have to adjust your own pace. There’s no sense rushing with Bernhard.’’

Illinois saw its five-year reign as men’s Big Ten golf champion come to an end two weeks ago, but the Illini still have a longer run going. They qualified for the NCAA finals for the seventh straight time on Saturday by winning the Central Regional at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove.

Coach Mike Small’s team was a Cinderella story at last year’s NCAA finals, finishing fifth in the stroke play portion and second to Alabama in the match play conclusion. Small has even higher hopes for this year’s finals, at Prairie Dunes in Kansas from May 27-June 1. The event will have live TV coverage for the first time, on The Golf Channel.

The Illini, with only one senior in its top five and junior Alex Burge in the lineup for the first time this season, posted a 16-over-par 880 total to win the three-day, 13-team competition at Rich Harvest by two strokes over Alabama-Birmingham. Five teams qualified for Prairie Dunes, and Illinois also had the tourney medalist in junior Brian Campbell. The Big Ten player-of-the-year posted 5-under-par 211 for the 54 holes and was three swings better than Anthony Paolucci of Southern California, the only other player to break par.

“Our focus was on winning, not just getting into the top five,’’ said Campbell. “Winning is what it’s all about, and we’ll bring that same attitude to the NCAAs. We’re still viewed as underdogs. We’re not given a lot of credit, which I love. Then we just come out and show what we’ve got.’’

Jonathan Hauter was the only senior in the Illini lineup at Rich Harvest. Burge earned his spot by beating sophomore David Kim in a playoff after the second-place finish in the Big Ten tourney. Sophomores Charlie Danielson and Thomas Detry rounded out the team.

“We’re a self-made team — normal guys with great personalities – and our coach molds us into great players with strong minds,’’ said Campbell. The only player missing from last year’s Cinderella team was Thomas Pieters, who left school early to play on the European PGA Tour.

“We don’t have the horse (Pieters) that we had last year, but we’re more consistent,’’ said Small. “This team had a better season than last year’s team.’’

Last year’s team was the first Illini squad to win an NCAA regional, accomplishing the feat as the No. 7 seed, before its exhilarating finish in the finals. Illinois was seeded second and ranked No. 9 nationally going into the Rich Harvest event.

OLD HICKORY, Tenn. – It took eight tries, but the LPGA Legends Tour finally witnessed a breakthrough in its premier team event on Sunday.

The Legends’ U.S.-born players had won the ISPS Handa Cup six straight times and retained it last year after the matches ended in a 24-24 tie at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. Now the cherished Cup is finally in the hands of the World team, consisting of Legends players who were born internationally. And they were in the mood to celebrate (see picture, below).

They took a 14-10 lead into Sunday’s 12 singles matches at Hermitage Golf Club on the outskirts of Nashville en route to a 27-21 victory. They even threatened to make this staging a runaway after Beth Daniel of the U.S. outlasted England’s Laura Davies in what turned out to be the best match of the day.

Daniel won the first match before the World team took charge. A repeat of last year’s tie was assured with five matches still on the course, but it took a 30-foot birdie putt by Australian Jan Stephenson in the next-to-the-last match of the day to assure the World team its long-awaited victory.

“It took a few years for the World team to practice and get better and better and better,’’ said captain Pia Nilsson of Sweden. “We were a team this week, and the passion was so strong. This is just going to make this competition even better, to grow in the future.’’

JoAnne Carner, the first U.S. captain to lose, took the defeat in stride.

“Sometimes you hate to lose, but the way the World team played this week I have no repercussions whatsoever,’’ she said. “They just outplayed us.’’

Nilsson declared Davies her first player out in singles for good reason. She was devastating in Saturday’s best ball and alternate shot matches, going 6-under-par and 5-under-par with partner Trish Johnson to win both. Carner countered with Daniel, who proved every bit up to Davies’ challenge.

Davies made birdies on the second, third and fourth holes but lost the lead at the turn, as Daniel played her front side in 4-under. She was 2-up, and 6-under for the day, going to No. 18 – a 334-yard par-4. The long-hitting Davies then drove the green, leaving her an eagle putt to potentially even the stroke play match.

“Laura would have carried that drive 300 yards,’’ marveled Daniel, “and that wasn’t even downwind.’’ The big drive came off a crosswind, uphill tee shot.

Davies missed her eagle putt, finishing the match at 5-under. Daniel salvaged par for the win to complete the match that took only 3 hours 9 minutes.

“It was like a boxing match out there – really good golf shots and a lot of fun,’’ said Daniel. Though she had a 12-5-2 Handa Cup record prior to Sunday, Daniel doesn’t compete as much as Davies these days. Carner still wanted her out first for the U.S.

“I felt a lot of responsibility,’’ admitted Daniel. “Coming here, I didn’t feel my game was that good but I kind of found it on Saturday when I played really well. JoAnne had the confidence to put me out first. She just said `you’re playing awesome,’’ and I felt honored she picked me. I’m just happy to have found my game for two days. I’m always grateful when that happens.’’

The momentum from Daniel’s big win disappeared quickly, though. Rosie Jones lost her first Handa Cup match in five years, falling to Trish Johnson in the second match. Johnson was just as hot as Daniel, also going 6-under.

The tension started building after Mieko Nomura’s rout of Pat Bradley gave the World a 24-14 advantage, meaning one more point would seal the win. Never was the tension greater than when Nancy Scranton and Liselotte Neumann hit the 18th green.

Scranton hit a great approach to four feet and needed the birdie putt to win the match. She lipped it out. Then Neumann needed to hole a par putt from the same distance to clinch the Cup for the World team. She missed, too. That gave Scranton the win and Cindy Figg-Currier won the next match for the U.S. to make it 24-20.

The last two matches on the course were all even at that point, but Stephenson’s uphill, breaking putt on the 18th ended the suspense against Sherri Turner and Gail Graham and Betsy King tied in the meaningless final match. That left the U.S. squad (pictured above) a loser for the first time.

No site has been announced for next year’s Handa Cup, though Hermitage owner Mike Eller said “We love company…We hope we can do it again.’’

And the players certainly seemed receptive to returning to the course that hosted the LPGA’s Sara Lee Classic from 1988-2002. Next event on the Legends’ schedule also has a Handa connection. The ISPS Handa Open Championship will be held Nov. 8-10 at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa, Fla.

HERE ARE SUNDAY’S SINGLES RESULTS.

Beth Daniel, U.S., def. Laura Davies; Trish Johnson, World, def. Rosie Jones; Cindy Rarick, U.S., def. Jenny Lidback; Helen Alfredsson, World, def. Barb Mucha; Alison Nicholas, World, def. Nancy Lopez; Lorie Kane, World, def. Christa Johnson; Mieko Nomura, World, def. Pat Bradley; Laurie Rinker, U.S., def. Jane Crafter; Nancy Scranton, U.S., def. Liselotte Neumann; Cindy Figg-Currier, U.S., def. Alicia Dibos; Jan Stephenson, U.S., def. Sherri Turner; Gail Graham, World, and Betsy King, U.S., tied.

OLD HICKORY – Some golf history could be made on Sunday at the LPGA Legends Tour’s ISPS Handa Cup.

The World team was winless in the first seven stagings of the team competition that matches LPGA players 45 and over from the U.S. against their Legends counterparts who were born internationally. The U.S. won the first six meetings and last year’s ended in a 24-24 tie at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla.

This eighth staging, at Hermitage Golf Club on the outskirts of Nashville, could have a much different result based on what transpired in Saturday’s 12 team matches. The World team opened a 14-10 lead and just needs to protect it in Sunday’s 12 singles matches. Each match is worth two points.

Saturday’s opening day of the competition saw the World team play the U.S. to a 6-6 standoff in the morning best ball matches and then dominate in the afternoon alternate shot battles.

The U.S. won only one match in the afternoon, that one coming from the team of Rosie Jones and Beth Daniel. Jones-Daniel also won in the morning, as Jones continued her reign as the dominant individual in the team competition. The two wins on Saturday gave Jones a lifetime 17-3-2 record in Handa Cup matches. No other player on either team has won more than 13 times.

“I’ve just had good partners,’’ said Jones. “Team events make me knuckle down. I try to putt well in all of them and try to not make any mistakes.’’

Jones has won with a variety of partners over the years and believes her last loss was five years ago. Her partners prior to Daniel were usually Patty Sheehan or Sherri Steinhauer.

“Both couldn’t be here this year,’’ said Jones, “but they can put me with anybody who can tolerate my short drives. Beth Daniel this week is hitting the ball really good. She’s 30 yards closer (to the green) than I normally would be, so it’s easier for me to hit wedges in.’’

Daniel is no slouch in Handa Cup play, either. She has a 12-5-2 record. Like Jones, she’s not used to seeing her U.S. team trail in the competition.

“I was kind of surprised,’’ said Jones. “But we have 24 points out there. That’s what we’ve got to bank on.’’

The U.S. will get a dose of reality in the first singles match, at 9 a.m. on Sunday when Daniel faces long-hitting Laura Davies. Davies sparked the World team on Saturday while playing with Trish Johnson. The duo from England was 5-under-par in best ball and a staggering 6-under in alternate shot en route to winning both times.

Their morning match was the first of the competition and opponents Pat Bradley and Betsy King took charge for the U.S. early with birdies on the first three holes. Davies-Johnson rallied back, however, and got the win when Davies rolled in a 20-foot downhill birdie putt on the final hole.

After Saturday’s matches were over World team captain Pia Nilsson quickly made Davies the first player to go off in singles on Sunday. Daniel will be a tough opponent. Jones will try to keep her winning streak going in the second singles match against Johnson, Davies’ partner on Saturday.

Davies is the only player on the World team to win a title in the Sara Lee Classic, an LPGA stop at Hermitage from 1988-2002. Davies won that event in 1994. The only other players in this Handa Cup to win the Sara Lee Classic didn’t do so well on Saturday. Nancy Lopez (1991) and Barb Mucha (1998) were paired in both the best ball and alternate shot formats and were losers in both.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

Morning best ball: Laura Davies-Trish Johnson, World, def. Pat Bradley-Betsy King; Lorie Kane-Alicia Dibos, World, def. Nancy Lopez-Barb Mucha; Sherri Turner-Laurie Rinker, U.S., def. Liselotte Neumann-Jane Crafter; Cindy Figg-Currier-Christa Johnson, U.S., def. Gail Graham-Jenny Lidback; Helen Alfredsson-Jan Stephenson, World, def. Nancy Scranton-Cindy Rarick; Beth Daniel-Rose Jones, U.S., def. Alison Nicholas-Mieko Nomura.

Afternoon alternate shot: Davies-Johnson, World, def. Turner-Rinker; Neumann-Dibos, World, def. Bradley-King; Figg-Currier-Christa Johnson, U.S., tied with Kane-Graham; Alfredsson-Nicholas def. Lopez-Mucha; Daniel-Jones def. Crafter-Nomura; Scranton-Rarick tied with Lidback-Stephenson.

SUNDAY’S SINGLES MATCHES

9 a.m. – Daniel vs. Davies; 9:10 – Jones vs. Trish Johnson; 9:20 – Rarick vs. Lidback; 9:30 – Mucha vs. Alfredsson; 9:40 – Lopez vs. Nicholas; 9:50 – Christa Johnson vs. Kane; 10 a.m. – Bradley vs. Nomura; 10:10 – Rinker vs. Crafter; 10:20 – Scranton vs. Neumann; 10:30 – Figg-Currier vs. Dibos; 10:40 – Turner vs. Stephenson; 10:50 – King vs. Graham.

.

OLD HICKORY, Tenn. – The ISPS Handa Cup is one of the premier events on the LPGA’s Legends Tour and its eighth staging at Hermitage Golf Club on the outskirts of Nashville figures to be something special.

In fact, it could result in a breakthrough for the World team. It has never won the Handa Cup, but last year’s match ended in a 24-24 tie at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. Because ties go to the defending champion the U.S. was able to retain the cup for another year. This time the U.S. might not be so fortunate.

Both captains – JoAnne Carner for the U.S. and Sweden’s Pia Nilsson for the World – return from last year but with different approaches for organizing their teams.

Carner paired the same players for both the morning best ball matches on Hermitage’s front nine and the afternoon alternate shot matches on the back side. Nilsson will change up her teams after the morning session.

The U.S. team features a pairing of former champions of the Sara Lee Classic, the LPGA Tour stop at the Hermitage from 1988-2002. Nancy Lopez, who won the Sara Lee title in 1991, will play with Barb Mucha, the winner in 1998.

Most interesting of the matches, though, could involve best friends Cindy Rarick of the U.S. and Jan Stephenson of the World team. They’ll meet in both best ball and alternate shot, though Australian Stephenson will have different partners. She’s paired with Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson in the best ball and with Peru’s Jenny Lidback in alternate shot. Rarick will play both with Nancy Scranton.

The competition concludes with 12 singles matches on Sunday, so Rarick and Stephenson could be matched up a third time.

Hottest Legends’ competitor going into the competition is the World team’s Lorie Kane, the Canadian golfer who won the first Legends Tour Championship two weeks ago at the brutal Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Ind. The U.S. team, however, has the most successful all-time Handa Cup player in Rosie Jones who has a 15-3-2 record in the competition.

For all the Legends’ competitors the return to the General’s Retreat course at Hermitage, a 36-hole facility, is a sentimental homecoming. It was one of the most popular stops for the LPGA players during Sara Lee’s run as sponsor, and Thursday’s kickoff party and Friday’s pro-am reflected their affection for the layout designed by Gary Rogers Baird.

Most notable during the Handa Cup festivities was the arrival of Midori Miyazaki, the executive director for international affairs for sponsor International Sports Promotion Society. She arrived via a flight from London on Thursday afternoon, was a speaker at the kickoff party, played in the pro-am on Friday and then caught an evening flight back to London. Trips to France and Cambodia are on her calendar over the next week.

She maintains a whirlwind schedule, but the ISPS Handa Cup was a must stop.

“We’re happy to be involved in this fantastic event,’’ she declared to loud cheers at the kickoff/pairings party. ISPS also has connections with the PGA of Australia, the European Senior Tour and the Asian Tour.

Miyazaki describes herself as a “terrible’’ golfer. She’s not, but her appearance spoke volumes about the Handa Cup’s importance to both ISPS and the stars of the LPGA’s 45-and-over circuit.

ISPS was created by Dr. Haruhisa Handa, an international businessman and philanthropist. His humanitarian efforts include founding the Japanese Blind Golf Assn., and the Handa Cup is named in his honor.

HERE ARE THE PAIRINGS

MORNING BEST BALL MATCHES

9 a.m. — Pat Bradley-Betsy King, U.S., vs. Laura Davies-Trish Johnson, England.

9:12 — Nancy Lopez-Barb Mucha, U.S., vs. Lorie Kane, Canada, and Alicia Dibos, Peru.

9:24 — Sherri Turner-Laurie Rinker, U.S., vs. Liselotte Neumann, Sweden, and Jane Crafter, Australia.

9:36 — Cindy Figg-Currier-Chris Johnson, U.S., vs. Gail Graham, Canada, and Jenny Lidback, Peru.

9:48 — Nancy Scranton-Cindy Rarick, U.S., vs. Helen Alfredsson, Sweden, and Jan Stephenson, Australia.

10 a.m. — Beth Daniel-Rosie Jones, U.S., vs. Mieko Nomura, Japan, and Alison Nicholas, England.

AFTERNOON ALTERNATE SHOT MATCHES

1 p.m. –Turner-Rinker, U.S., vs. Davies-Trish Johnson.

1:12 — Bradley-King, U.S., vs. Neumann-Dibos.

1:24 — Figg-Currier-Johnson, U.S., vs. Kane-Graham.

1:36 — Lopez-Mucha, U.S., vs. Nicholas-Alfredsson.

1:48 — Daniel-Jones, U.S., vs. Crafter-Nomura.

2 p.m. — Scranton-Rarick, U.S., vs. Lidback-Stephenson.

HANDA CUP: U.S. Legends have never lost to the World team

OLD HICKORY, Tenn. – The biggest season in the 13-year history of the LPGA Legends Tour reaches a climax this week with the eighth playing of the ISPS Handa Cup at Hermitage Golf Club.

The international team event features some of the biggest names in women’s golf with the U.S. squad, captained by JoAnne Carner, taking on the World team, led by Sweden’s Pia Nilsson.

Canadian Lorie Kane, coming off her victory two weeks ago in the first LPGA Legends Championship at French Lick, Ind., heads the World squad that also includes England’s Laura Davies and Trish Johnson, Australian Jan Stephenson and Sweden’s Helen Afredsson and Liselotte Neumann.

Also on the World squad are Jane Crafter, of Australia; Alicia Dibos and Jenny Lidback, Peru; Gail Graham, Canada; Alison Nicholas, England; and Mieko Nomura, Japan.

Carner’s U.S. squad features Pat Bradley, Beth Daniel, Rosie Jones, Betsy King and Nancy Lopez among its 12 players who will compete in team matches on Saturday and singles matches on Sunday. Jones has a dazzling 15-3-2 record in ISPS Handa Cup play – the best of any players in the competition.

Rounding out the U.S. roster are Cindy Figg-Currier, Christa Johnson, Barb Mucha, Cindy Rarick, Laurie Rinker, Nancy Scranton and Sherri Turner. Lori West will be Carner’s assistant captain and South Africa’s Sally Little will back up Nilsson.

Team pairings and matchups for Saturday’s competition will be announced at Thursday night’s opening ceremonies. The players on both squads will participate in a Friday pro-am before the Handa Cup tees off on Saturday.

The Handa Cup was first played in 2006 at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. It was conducted there for five years, then moved to Portsmouth, N.H., for two stagings and was contested last year at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. The U.S. won the first six battles but last year’s ended in a 24-24 tie with Carner and Nilsson also the competing captains.

Saturday’s program includes 12 team matches of nine holes each. Six will be played in the morning starting at 9 a.m. on the front nine using best ball format. The six afternoon matches will start at 1 p.m. on the back nine using the modified alternate shot format. Unlike the Solheim Cup, the Handa Cup is not a match play event. It’s stroke play within each match.

While team competition is a rarity on all the pro tours, the LPGA Legends do have familiarity with the General’s Retreat layout – one of two 18-holers at the well-regarded Hermitage public facility on the outskirts of Nashville. It hosted the LPGA’s Sara Lee Classic from 1988-2002 and three of the players in this year’s Handa Cup were winners of the Sara Lee Classic.

Davies won in 1994 and Mucha in 1998 but the most memorable of the champions was ’91 winner Nancy Lopez. Then pregnant with her third child Lopez shot a course record 7-under-par 65 in the first round en route to her 44th LPGA title with a 54-hole score of 10-under-par 206.

Lopez went on to win 48 LPGA titles and was a key player in last year’s Handa Cup. It was her last putt that enabled the U.S. to salvage a tie in the team competition.

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – Lorie Kane let a victory slip away on the LPGA Legends Tour two weeks ago when she lost in a five-hole playoff to Rosie Jones in the Harris Charity Classic in Maine.

There was no such negative carryover to Sunday when Kane put herself in position to win again, however. The Canadian golfer put a 40-foot chip shot to within two inches of the cup on the final hole for the birdie she needed to bag the biggest title in the history of the 13-year old circuit for LPGA players who have reached their 45th birthday. All the players endured strong winds (which had the sponsors’ banners blowing, photo below) and day-long rains before Kane won her title.

Kane and playing partner Laurie Rinker started the round tied for the lead at 3-under-par with Val Skinner, the only other player in red numbers, another shot back.

Skinner hooked her first tee shot into a hazard, setting the stage for an opening bogey that kept her chasing the co-leaders the rest of the way. Kane opened a two-stroke lead on the front nine, then gave it back with bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14. That set the stage for a dramatic finish at the finishing hole, a dogleg par-5.

A 25-foot birdie putt pulled Skinner to 2-under and within a shot of the leaders as Kain and Rinker prepared to hit their second shots to the green.

“You have to hit a good shot because it’s off a sidehill-downhill lie,’’ said Kane. “I knew Laurie could have a little trouble with her lie and – very fortunate for me – I missed my shot in the right spot. I wound up a little right of where I wanted to go but had a good chance to chip in.’’

Rinker hit her second shot thin and her third short of the green. She wound up with a bogey after Kane notched her birdie to finish at 3-under-par 213. The bogey dropped Rinker into a tie with Skinner, two strokes behind the winner.

The first LPGA Legends Championship, staged on the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort, had the most players (58) and the biggest purse ($500,000) in the circuit’s history. Kane claimed the biggest prize — $60,000 – for winning the only 54-hole event of the season. Her only previous Legends win came in a one-day tourney.

“I don’t consider myself a legend, but they gave me a place to play,’’ said Kane. “This will give me the boost my game needed. I am totally honored to win here. I had the chance to meet Pete Dye, and I really like the golf course. It’s fun to play.’’

Not everyone agreed. The Dye Course was brutal in Sunday’s conditions. A steady morning rain required the lift, clean and place rule to be put into effect and misty, cold, windy weather was prevalent throughout the day. Only fourth place Laura Davies (1-under 71) bettered par in the final round and Kane and Trish Johnson, who finished in a tie for ninth, matched it. Kane hadn’t played in weather like that since last year’s Women’s British Open.

“I’m part-Irish and part-Scottish,’’ said Kane. “But that was a tough test of golf, and it was so much fun to win again.’’

Kane has struggled on the LPGA circuit and plans to improve her status at the fall qualifying school after competing for the World team in the Legends’ Handa Cup event in Nashville, Tenn.

The LPGA Legends Championship is scheduled to be played on the Dye Course the next two years and the Legends Hall of Fame at the nearby West Baden Springs Hotel will be completed in time for next year’s event, tentatively planned for August. Another women’s competition, the Big Ten Championship, will be played on the Dye Course in May. It has been held at French Lick’s Donald Ross Course the last two years.

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – The wind blew harder and from a different direction in Saturday’s second round of the LPGA Legends Championship. Some of the pin positions at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort were more difficult, too.

“Add in that Pete Dye designed this place, and that raised it another notch,’’ added Canadian Lorie Kane, who appreciated the change in conditions and coped with them better than most of her rivals. “The golf course played very tough.’’

Still, Kane posted 2-under-par 70 and ended the day in a tie for the lead with Laurie Rinker at 3-under-par 141. Val Skinner, who also shot 70, was alone in third, a shot back of the co-leaders, and no other players were under par for the first 36 holes of the 54-hole test that pays $75,000 to the champion after Sunday’s final round.

The $500,000 purse and 58-player field make this the biggest event in the 13-year history of the LPGA’s official senior circuit.

Skinner, who doubles as an analyst for Golf Channel, started her round with two bogeys, but found herself suddenly in contention after making a 25-foot birdie putt at No. 17 and adding another bird at the par-5 finishing hole. Like Kane she did some muttering about the Dye design style, described by Jan Stephenson before the tournament as “diabolical.’’

“It was a lot of fun to play, but you’ve got to get control of your ball,’’ said Skinner. “It’s in great shape and a nice walk out there, but I said Pete’s name a few times. It was tough, a very challenging golf course.’’

No one could appreciate that any better than first-round leader Dina Ammaccapane. She posted a women’s course record 66 on Friday before soaring to an 81 on Saturday.

Rinker, her playing partner in the last group, was two shots back when play started. She got within one with a birdie at No. 2 and was the solo leader after Ammaccapane made double bogey at the par-3 fourth. On Saturday Rinker celebrated her 51st birthday.

“But I feel a couple years older after that round,’’ she said. “I’m still very pleased with my position.’’

Kane was in the thick of things in the Legends’ last tournament, the Harris Charity Classic in Maine. She wound up losing the title to Rosie Jones in a five-hole playoff. Kane said that difficult loss carried no scars.

“At this day and age in my career I’m just happy for being able to compete with the great legends of this game,’’ said Kane. “(In Sunday’s final round) I’ll just try to make as many birdies as I can. You’ve got the women who got the LPGA Tour to the next level, and now they’re getting the Legends Tour to the next level. I can only imagine that they’ll come out firing. No lead is safe.’’

Not many came out firing on Saturday. Jean Bartholomew was an exception. She shot the day’s best of four sub-par round – a 3-under 69. The four-player Super Senior tournament got started with Jane Blalock posting a 1-over-par 73 from shorter tees than the regular Legends players used. She owns a five-stroke lead on Sandra Palmer in that 36-hole competition.