By Alex Miceli

Cherry Hills Village, Colo. -- Playing in her first Women’s Open, University of Washington senior Paige Mackenzie shot her best round of the week with a 2-under-par 69, far better than the back-to-back 75s she shot in the first two rounds. 

It moved her up 36 places to 16^th place and put her in position to make a run on Sunday, her goal when she arrived at Cherry Hills.

"I just had a little more feel in my putting. I didn’t blow it by like I did the last two days, that’s the only difference really," said Mackenzie. "I hit the ball maybe a little better today than yesterday. The only difference was the speed. I was rolling it really nice."

It was a pleasant surprise for both Mackenzie’s since her brother Brock is also on her bag and also qualified for a U.S. Open. But in Brock’s case it was last year’s Open at Shinnecock Hills. Brock now plays on the Canadian Tour and mini tours in hopes of one day getting his card.

"I made it through into second stage and I was right there, had a bad third round in second stage and that kind of put me behind the eight-ball. And I didn't qualify for the final stage," said Brock Mackenzie. "So obviously coming out, I was to trying to get on the Nationwide or the PGA Tour right off the bat. But I realize that it's a marathon and as long as I can keep improving my game I think it will happen sometime.  It's just                hopefully it happens sooner than later."

For Paige Mackenzie, she’s just glad to be playing golf again.  A continual back problem forced Mackenzie to redshirt for the 2002-03 season after being sidelined for nine months. Eventually Mackenzie saw a therapist that worked on the muscles around her back and eventually the pain went away. Over the last six months Mackenzie has been able to play pain free and hit as many balls as she likes.

"I feel good, my backs been really good," said Mackenzie.  "Played last six months, I mean no problem at all, it feels like it’s still getting better, which is pretty unbelievable considering I was injured for so long. It’s not too far of a stretch that it might take two years.

Mackenzie is coming off a 10th-place finish in the NCAA Championships, the first Washington golfer to post a top-10 finish in the event. She also led the Huskies with a 73.69 stroke average. She has been battled tested, but this is the biggest stage Mackenzie as ever played on.

"Yeah, I really am," said Mackenzie said of looking forward to Sunday’s challenge. 

Making A Run

Tina Barrett had a chance to be tied for the lead, but a 4-over finish over the last five holes saw her fall from being one shot out of the lead to an eventual tie for 12^th  after shooting a even-par 71.

Barrett, 39, is playing in her 14^th Women’s Open and finished 11^th at the 1991 Open at Colonial Country Club.

Starting out Saturday at 5 over and tied for 28^th, Barrett made three birdies and a lone bogey over the first nine holes, moving to 3 over and gradually closing in on the leaders.

Barrett birdied No. 10 and then would make another birdie on the 13^th hole just before the leaders went off. She moved to 1 over, but she didn’t know where she stood at the time.

"I saw that Nicole made double on the first hole, but that was all I saw," said Barrett. "But didn’t know I was that close."

That was as close as Barrett would come as her finish may have sunk her chances of moving higher. She fell back to 4 over and three shots out of the lead.

"Well, 17, I hit a bad lay-up shot into the bunker and then just hit a bad bunker shot," said Barrett. "I felt fine over the shots and everything; just hit a bad shot at a bad time and 18 is a par five for me so I just made par there."

Mallon’s Task

Defending champion Meg Mallon has a more difficult task then she had last year when she was only three shots back and in second place after 54 holes.  This time Mallon finds herself tied for 26^th and six shots behind leaders Morgan Pressel, Karen Stupples and Michelle Wie.

Starting the day tied for ninth and five shots off the lead, Mallon made a bogey on the first hole. She regained the lost stroke on No. 7 and moved to 2 over after a birdie on the 10^th hole. Then disaster struck.

"I was cruising along really nicely and had a lot of momentum going and had a big momentum buster -- the triple there on number twelve," said Mallon.  "It was really disappointing because I felt like I had my game in control.  I had it where I wanted to be for the tournament for sure."

Mallon hit what she thought was a good 5-iron, but it caught part of the hill behind the green. It took her three shots to get on the putting surface, and two putts later she made a six.

With 18 holes to go Mallon would have to have a great round on Sunday and have everyone in front of her go backward. She doesn’t anticipate that happening.

"I think four over or better has a chance for sure," said Mallon.

Tough Finisher

The 18^th hole again failed to yield a birdie for the second time in three rounds.  Only in round two did three players make birdies on the 459-yard par 4, the longest in Women’s Open history.  The 18^th played to a stroke average of 4.508 in the third round and 4.683 for the first three days.

After shooting a 2-over 73, Annika Sorenstam was five shots out of the lead.  The deficit is a familiar one to Sorenstam. It was the same number she came back from in 1995 to win her first Open at the Broadmoor G.C. just down the road in Colorado Springs.  That year Sorenstam shot 67-71-72 and a final round 68 for her victory. 

This week Sorenstam has not broken par with scores of 71-75-73. At 6 over, she must jump over 24 other people to win her third major of the year.

"Tomorrow I will be chasing," said Sorenstam.  "I know what I have got to do.  Like I said, there's nothing that's going to hold me back.  I don't have to look behind me.  All I need to do is look forward and hopefully that's going to be the key for me tomorrow."

Closing In

Saturday’s attendance total broke the all-time single day record at the Women’s Open. A total of 29,989 came through the gates of Cherry Hills C.C. to break last year’s third round total of 26,142.

Through three rounds, 99,247 patrons have watched. The four-day attendance total of 118,864 set last year is likely to be smashed.

Mike Ewald of the USGA contributed.