Sorenstam stays within range of lead

Annika Sorenstam needed some time to adjust to the greens at the Ko Olina Resort. And now that she has, the rest of the field had best watch out.

The new No. 2 in this week's Rolex Rankings got rolling with four birdies on the back nine to move from a tie for 31st to a tie for fifth entering today's final round of the Fields Open with a 36-hole total of 8-under 136. She still trails leader Jeong Jang (132) by four shots, but that's well within striking distance on the defenseless par-72 course.

"These greens are a lot grainier than last week," Sorenstam said. "I think the more rounds on the course, the better. I had a good round today. I thought yesterday I had a very good round, I just didn't take advantage on the greens. Today, things didn't happen on the front. I hit 16 greens and had a lot of chances. It's fun to see them drop in the end, obviously."

During her first tour of the course with little or no wind, Sorenstam played the par 5s in 3 under. Yesterday, she wasn't quite as effective, going 2 under, but she has birdied Nos. 13-15 two consecutive days. Her 66 yesterday was bogey free. She had two bogeys in her opening-round 70.

"The par 5s," Sorenstam said, when asked where you have to take advantage of the course. "The wind's a little different. So 13, 14 and No. 1, for sure, I birdied at least two of them. I think that makes the difference."

As for catching the leaders?

"Well, 12 under after two, the scores are low," Sorenstam said. "I didn't want to be too far behind. I have a lot of work to do. I hope to get off to a good start. I'm going to need to go pretty low, I think. I'm (moving) in the right direction. We'll see; maybe a little bit of wind tomorrow, little tougher conditions, we'll see."

Creamer has a sick day

Paula Creamer has been battling flu-like symptoms since last Friday and after feeling better earlier in the week, she had something of a relapse yesterday that left her parents giddy.

"My parents always say, 'Yeah, you're sick (because she plays well when she's ill).' No, you know, I'm just trying to go out there; I know I've been practicing hard," Creamer said. "I think the biggest thing that I feel is I get a little tired easier. I probably ate food out there eight or nine times, just trying to constantly keep things coming in and keep my energy levels up."

Whatever she's doing has worked well for the 21-year-old, who now lives in Florida. Despite feeling poorly in last week's final round of the SBS Open, she got off her death bed to shoot a 69 the last day to gain a tie for 12th.

She enters today's final round alone in third, just two shots off the pace of Jang. Creamer opened with a 66 on Thursday and came back with a 68 yesterday to put herself in contention.

"I'll probably just do a little bit of practice and eat something," Creamer said. "I've been going to bed at 8:15 every night, which is very early. I feel very old doing that, but your body needs it."

Tied with Michelle

The tournament's only amateur made the cut, as Honolulu's Ayaka Kaneko shot 2-under 70 in yesterday's second round. The Sacred Hearts senior fired five birdies and three bogeys.

Kaneko begins today's final round at 142, tied with Michelle Wie. She is 5 under on the par 5s through the first two rounds and tees off two groups in front of Wie on the back nine at 8:50 a.m.