ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After a breakout season on the LPGA Tour, Suzann Pettersen is tinkering with her swing again and keeping a tight lid on expectations.

“I’m a little bit surprised I’m playing this well, I must be honest,” the Norwegian star said after shooting a 5-under 67 in the Wegmans LPGA on Saturday to open a three-stroke lead over Morgan Pressel and South Koreans Eun-Hee Ji and Inbee Park.

The 28-year-old Pettersen, a five-time tour winner in 2007, hasn’t found her winning groove so far this year but has finishes of second, third and ninth in 10 events and is ninth on the money list. Her bogey-free round got her to 14-under 202.

“It’s not like I’m surprised I’m playing solid, but I have less expectations, so maybe that’s good,” she said. “Of course you want to win tournaments, but a tournament is a four-day race and you’ve got to make sure you’re there every day. There’s no room for mistakes. At least I’m in a good position for tomorrow.”

Ji, who has ties for fourth and ninth in her second year on tour, holed out from 170 yards to open with an eagle and ran up six more birdies for a 64 and a second-place tie at 11 under.

“I had some lucky holes today,” said the 22-year-old Seoul native, whose best finish was second to Pettersen at South Korea’s Kolon Championship in October. “I wouldn’t say it’s my turn to beat her. … It’s more about winning my first LPGA tournament.”

The 19-year-old Park (69), who tied for fourth at the U.S. Women’s Open in her rookie year in 2007, shot her third sub-70 round. And Pressel (71), who held a one-stroke lead over Pettersen after the second round, got her only birdie on the last hole.

“Nobody is unbeatable out there,” Pressel said. “I’m not going to say I can’t catch her (Pettersen), but she played great today.”

Japan’s Ai Miyazato and South Korean Hee-Won Han were at 9 under.

Han, a six-time tour winner between 2003 and 2006, matched Ji’s 64 — the day’s best round — with six birdies in seven holes after the turn. She played a limited schedule in 2007 after the birth of her son, Dale, and recently traveled home to celebrate his birthday, which falls on Sunday.

A thunderstorm on an otherwise sunny, 79-degree afternoon halted play for almost two hours at the Locust Hill course, a traditional, 72-par layout with narrow, tree-lined fairways and compact greens.

Cristie Kerr, preparing for her title defense in the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open, was tied for seventh with Jeong Jang at 7 under. Kerr had a double bogey on No. 6.

In her fifth year on tour, Pettersen finally got her breakthrough at the Michelob Ultra Open in May 2007 and picked up her first major at the LPGA Championship a month later — shredding the never-won tag of a top talent. In October, she won three of four events she played.

Birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 put her ahead of Pressel, and Pettersen picked up another birdie after chipping to 6 feet on No. 11. She two-putted for birdie on No. 17 and finished with a 15-foot birdie putt on the last green.

The $2 million tournament, sandwiched between two majors, drew 88 of the top 100 money winners.

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa (68) birdied three of the first four holes, lost some momentum on the back nine but finished with an eagle and a birdie to reach 6 under. The 26-year-old Mexican won in Rochester in 2005 and 2007 and is seeking her seventh win of the season.

With $1.9 million in season earnings, Ochoa has a half-million-dollar lead on Annika Sorenstam. The Swede, who is stepping away from the tour at the end of the season, shot a second straight 72 to stay mired at 1 over.

Michelle Wie was 1 under after a 73.

Also on Saturday:

Cink still in front on PGA Tour

CROMWELL, Conn. — Stewart Cink birdied the final two holes to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Travelers Championship.

Cink followed his opening rounds of 66 and 64 with a 5-under 65 to reach 15-under 195 on the TPC River Highlands, the best 54-hole score of his career.

Heath Slocum (64) was second, and defending champion Hunter Mahan (67), Vijay Singh (64), Kenny Perry (65), Tommy Armour III (65) and Kevin Streelman (62) were 12 under.

On a day when 24 golfers shot 66 or better, 17 players ended up within five shots of the lead going into Sunday’s final round. The average score of 68.2 was the best ever for a third round on the course.

Cink expects to have to be at 20 under on Sunday to have a chance to win.

“Some guys got hot and boom, they’re up there at double-digits under par,” Cink said. “I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be the same way tomorrow.”

Cink is looking for his first victory this year after six top-10 finishes. He is ranked seventh in the FedEx Cup point standings, the highest ranking of any golfer who hasn’t won a tournament. But he usually plays well here, on a course where he earned his first tour victory as a rookie in 1997.

Cink had dropped in a tie with Slocum after hitting his tee shot on 16 into the water, but rebounded with an 11-foot birdie put on 17, and hit an approach within 2 feet on 18.

“I felt like I gained some momentum back and put myself in a good mind-set for tomorrow,” Cink said.

Slocum, who shot a 65 last Sunday for the low round at the U.S. Open, said that play has carried over. He bogeyed two holes on the front nine, then adjusted his swing and hit all nine greens after the turn. He finished with eight birdies.

With rain in the forecast this afternoon, tournament officials decided to start the final round early, with threesomes going off holes one and 10 at 7:30 a.m. local time. The leaders were scheduled to tee off at 9:30 a.m. and the officials expect the tournament to be over before 2 p.m.

Roberts leads after shooting 66

CONCORD, Mass. — Loren Roberts shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the Champions Tour’s Bank of America Championship.

Roberts birdied the 18th to move to 10 under, one stroke ahead of Mark McNulty (70), Jeff Sluman (67) and first-round leader Tom Kite (72). Bobby Wadkins (67) was another stroke back at 8 under on the 6,741-yard Nashawtuc Country Club course.

Roberts has won seven times in his 3½ years on the Champions Tour, but has never played in this tournament, even though he’s had some success in the area. He won the 1997 CVS Charity Classic in Sutton, before the PGA Tour dropped the event.

German leads by six in Munich

MUNICH, Germany — Martin Kaymer moved a step closer to becoming the first German winner in the BMW International Open, shooting a 5-under 67 to take a six-stroke lead into the final round.

The 23-year-old Kaymer made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to move to 18-under 198 and add a stroke to his lead after Friday’s breakaway round of 63. South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel was second after a 66.

Former champ wins Public Links

ERIN, Wis. — UCLA star Tiffany Joh won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links for the second time in three years, rallying to win four of the last six holes for a 2-and-1 victory over Southern California recruit Jennifer Song.

Joh, the 2006 winner at Walking Stick in Pueblo, Colo., is the fifth two-time winner in the 32-year history of the USGA event.

Dutchman takes British Amateur

TURNBERRY, Scotland — Dutchman Reinier Saxton won the British Amateur Championship, beating 17-year-old Englishman Tommy Fleetwood 3 and 2 in strong wind and rain on the Ailsa course.

The 20-year-old Saxton had eight birdies in 34 holes to finish off the 17-year-old Fleetwood, attempting to become the youngest winner. Saxton earned spots in the British Open at Birkdale and next year’s Masters as long as he remains an amateur.