Baddeley leads; Couples, Singh challenge

LOS ANGELES - Aaron Baddeley played 22 holes yesterday in just about every kind of weather, and it hardly mattered. He hit just about every shot where he was aiming and wound up with a one-shot lead in the Northern Trust Open.

Baddeley birdied the 18th hole in the chill of the morning for a 69, then ran off three straight birdies around the turn just as the afternoon rain arrived. That led to a 4-under 67, giving him a 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour for the first time in five years.

Now he just has to hold off a couple of guys nearly old enough to be his father.

Fred Couples and his 51-year-old aching back managed well enough in the cold and rain. Couples made only one blunder when he chipped too strong off the back of the 10th green for his lone bogey. He shot a 1-under 70 and was one shot behind as he tries to become the oldest PGA Tour winner in more than 35 years.

Kevin Na, who grew up in these parts and first came to Riviera as an 11-year-old in 1995, plodded along to a 67. He also was one back.

Vijay Singh turns 48 on Tuesday. In the worst slump of his career, Singh felt like the world's best putter in the third round as he turned in a 67 and was only two shots behind. Singh last won in 2008 at the Deutsche Bank Championship on his way to the FedEx Cup title. - AP