SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kevin Sutherland shot an 8-under 63 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over George McNeill after the third round of the www.Frys.com Open, the fifth of the PGA Tour's seven Fall Series events.

The 44-year Sutherland had a 14-under 196 total on Grayhawk's Raptor Course. McNeill followed his second-round 63 with a 66.

"I've played terrific all year," said Sutherland, who won the 2002 Accenture Match Play Championship for his lone PGA Tour title. "This is my last tournament of the year, so it'd be great to cap it off with a win."

Thirty-second on the money list with just over $2 million, Sutherland had seven birdies in his bogey-free round.

The 29-year-old McNeill won a Fall Series event last year in Las Vegas for his lone tour title.

Paul Goydos (66), John Mallinger (66) and Steve Allan (68) were 12 under. Cameron Beckman (64) and Woody Austin (65) were another stroke back and 49-year-old Bob Tway (64), Mathew Goggin (68) and second-round leader Arron Oberholser (71) were 10 under.

ELSEWHERE

Ballesteros update: Seve Ballesteros is in stable but serious condition in the intensive care unit of the La Paz hospital in Madrid, Spain.

The hospital says it intends to release no new statements on the golfing great's state until tomorrow — or later — unless there is a change in his condition. Ballesteros underwent a 6 1/2-hour operation Friday on a cancerous brain tumor, a procedure that the hospital said went better than expected.

Grand China Air: Karen Stupples of England chipped in a 35-foot birdie on the 18th hole en route to her second straight 5-under 67 to take a two-shot lead at the Grand China Air after a rain-soaked second round in Haikou, China.

Stupples heads into the final round of the 54-hole tournament, the LPGA Tour's first tournament in China, at 10-under 134, two strokes better than American Laura Diaz. Diaz, who led after a first-round 63, stumbled to a 73 yesterday with four bogeys on the last five holes and is at 136. Morgan Pressel, the winner of the Kapalua LPGA Classic last week, shot 73—148.

AT&T Championship: Jeff Sluman moved into position for his third Champions Tour victory of the season, shooting a 7-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion John Cook and Mark James in the AT&T Championship at San Antonio.

The 51-year-old Sluman had an 11-under 131 total. Cook shot a 63, and James, the first-round leader, had a 69 on the Oak Hills course.

Castello Masters: Tournament host Sergio Garcia shot a 6-under 65 on his home course for a share of the second-round lead in the Castello Masters at Castellon, Spain.

England's Richard Finch (66) and Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen (67) matched Garcia at 11-under 131 at Club de Campo del Mediterraneo. The top 60 players on the money list after the event will earn spots next week in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama.