America's Juli Inkster and Ai Miyazato shot 3-under 69s on Saturday to share the third-round lead in the HSBC Women's Champions.
The 49-year-old Inkster is trying to become the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history. Beth Daniel was 46 when she won the 2003 Canadian Women's Open.
``I'd say right now I'm definitely the underdog,'' said Inkster, who won the last of her 31 tour titles in 2006. ``I don't think anybody expects me to win.''
Miyazato, the 24-year-old Japanese star who won the season-opener last week in Thailand, moved into a tie with a 30-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole.
``It was a really long putt, but I got a really good stroke and did a down-slope putt, and it was in,'' Miyazato said.
Inkster and Miyazato had 7-under 209 totals.
Momoko Ueda (68), Sun Young Yoo (71), Hee Young Park (69) and Hee-won Han (71) were two shots back, and Cristie Kerr (71) and Suzann Pettersen (72) were 4 under.
Michelle Wie (69) was five strokes back along with defending champion Jiyai Shin (72) and Karrie Webb (72).
Angela Stanford, tied for the second-round lead, had a triple bogey on the 11th. She birdied two of her last three holes for a 74 to stay in contention at 3 under.
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa - who stumbled to a 79 in the second round - shot a 73, leaving her 11 strokes back.
Miyazato said she's looking forward to playing with Inkster in the final round.
``Juli is like my idol,'' Miyazato said. ``I feel honored to play with her.''
