CORNING, N.Y. — Even with an arthritic right wrist that hampers her swing, Jeong Jang is a player to be reckoned with.

Jang, fresh from two straight top-three finishes that moved her to fifth on the 2008 LPGA money list, shot a 3-under 69 yesterday to tie Erica Blasberg for the lead after three rounds at the Corning Classic.

Playing with a bandage that conceals a painful cyst, Jang sank a 3-foot birdie putt on her final hole to tie Blasberg (70) at 7-under 209.

Jang, of South Korea, has won twice on tour, including the 2005 British Open, but two years ago here she led by three shots after three rounds and ballooned to a 76 on the final day and finished seventh.

She remembers.

"I think I am just learning everything every time I get a mistake," said Jang, who finished 11th at Corning in 2007 for the second time in three years. "I tried too hard. I don't think I want to do that again."

Jang, who had two bogeys and four birdies on the front nine, reached 7 under with an 18-foot birdie putt at No. 10 and managed to save par at 14 with a deft downhill putt after her third shot on the par-5 landed on the back edge of the massive, undulating green.

Jang's string of five straight pars ended when her second shot at 16 was short and she two-putted from 5 feet for bogey. She almost got that shot back at 17, but her birdie putt rolled around the rim and somehow didn't fall.

The top two were one shot ahead of Leta Lindley (70) and Katherine Hull (72). Song-Hee Kim (70) was another stroke behind in fifth, and Mi Hyun Kim (68) was in a tie for sixth with Sung Ah Yim (70), Seo-Jae Lee (71), Sun Young Yoo (71), and Meredith Duncan (71). Dina Ammaccapane began the day with a one-shot lead but shot 76 and was five shots behind.

A year ago, Young Kim shot 20 under to win here, but the difficult weather has played havoc all week. Blasberg's opening 65 is the low round so far, and the average score yesterday was just above par at 72.46. The final round will begin with 27 players within five shots of the lead or closer.

"I'm a little surprised (at the scores) because there's quite a few good players here," Blasberg said. "I think it's the swirling wind out there."

Janice Moodie (77) could vouch for that. Seeking her third career victory and first since 2002, Moodie was just one shot behind at the start of the day. But any chance she had disappeared after five bogeys and a double bogey dropped her to par.

Blasberg had her troubles, too, making bogey at the difficult first hole, a 402-yarder with a slight dogleg right and the most difficult hole at Corning Country Club. She rebounded quickly, though, with eagle at the par-5 second hole and followed with three more birdies to make the turn with the lead at 9 under.

Blasberg's surge ended when she pulled a 2-foot par putt left of the hole and made bogey at the par-3 11th hole. Then she missed a 10-foot putt for par at 13 to drop into a tie with Jang and Lindley at 7 under. Blasberg's putter failed her again at the par-5 14th when she missed just left on a short birdie try, and she parred out to retain a share of the lead.

SENIOR PGA

LANGER LEADS BY ONE OVER HAAS, SLUMAN

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bernhard Langer held off Jay Haas' late run, which included a stunning eagle on Oak Hill Country Club's No. 17, and took the lead after the third round of the Senior PGA Championship yesterday.

Langer, the Champions Tour money leader, finished with an even-par 70 to put him at 2-over 212 for the tournament, a shot ahead of Haas and local favorite Jeff Sluman.

Haas vaulted into contention with an eagle-2 from the rough on the second-to-last hole, but then closed with a bogey to cap a 72. Sluman was among the leaders, but was undone by closing with three straight bogeys for a 70.

Scott Simpson, a former Kailua resident, and Bill Britton were tied at 216, and Greg Norman was part of a four-man group at 217.

BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

KARLSSON HAS 4-STROKE ADVANTAGE IN ENGLAND

VIRGINIA WATER, England — Robert Karlsson shot a 2-under 70 in windy conditions to take a four-stroke lead after the third round of the BMW PGA Championship yesterday.

Karlsson was tied for second, four shots behind Paul McGinley overnight, but finished the third round leading Miguel-Angel Jimenez (72) and Oliver Wilson (73) by four shots.

McGinley, who shot a record 65-66 over the first 36 holes, finished with 79 to drop to a share of fourth place with Jyoti Randhawa (69) and Daniel Vancsik (72). They are five strokes behind Karlsson at the West Course at Wentworth.