PORTLAND, Ore. — Lorena Ochoa's fast start yesterday jumped her into the lead of the Safeway Classic. Now she wants to finish better.

Ochoa capped her round with two bogeys but was helped by eight earlier birdies to give her a 66 and a one-stroke lead over Sophie Gustafson going into today's final round at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

"It's going to be important to get off to a good start tomorrow and just keep it going," Ochoa said.

Honolulu's Michelle Wie, playing on a sponsor's exemption, continued her woes this season with a 75 to miss the 148 cut with a 10-over 154.

Wie, who has had trouble with her left wrist, has made the cut just once in five appearances this year on the tour.

Gustafson, who shared the lead going into yesterday's round with rookie Ji-Young Oh, had a 68 to go to 10-under 134. Ochoa is at 11-under 133.

THE BARCLAYS

HARRISON, N.Y. — Steve Stricker has given himself plenty of chances to win this year, but none quite as good as this.

A burst of birdies at The Barclays carried Stricker to a 6-under 65 for a 14-under 199 total and allowed him to zoom past K.J. Choi and into the lead yesterday at Westchester Country Club, the first time he has held the 54-hole lead in nine years.

Finishing it off for his first victory since 2001 won't be easy.

Choi overcame some errant tee shots on the back nine with a birdie-birdie finish to salvage a 70 for 200, leaving him one shot behind. Hunter Mahan tied a tournament scoring record for the second time in five weeks, this one a 9-under 62 that took him from the middle of the pack to only two shots behind at 201 with Rich Beem (69).

ELSEWHERE

Boeing Classic: Ray Stewart, who only made this week's tournament by surviving a 10-man playoff in a Monday qualifier, shot a 4-under 68 and is the surprising leader at 10 under 134 entering today's final round at Snoqualmie, Wash. Denis Watson (69), Bruce Vaughn (69), Gil Morgan (70) and Scott Hoch (67) are four back at 138.

Dutch Open: David Carter of England shot a 1-over 71 yesterday for a 9-under 201 total to share a two-shot lead with Ross Fisher (68) and Steve Alker (69) after three rounds of the Dutch Open at Zaandvoort, Netherlands. Carter is seeking his first European Tour title.

U.S. Amateur: Colt Knost is one step from completing a rare amateur golf double after beating Jhonattan Vegas, 4 and 3, yesterday to advance to the finals of the U.S. Amateur Championship at The Olympic Club at Daly City, Calif. Knost, who won the U.S. Public Links title in June, will face Michael Thompson, who beat beat Casey Clendenon, 3 and 2, in the other semifinal.