Late birdie puts Chopra in Buick driver's seat

Daniel Chopra took advantage of an opportunity to build a cushion in the Buick Open.

Chopra birdied the last hole yesterday after Dudley Hart bogeyed it, giving the Swede a two-shot lead with one round left at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, Mich.

Chopra made a 15-foot putt to close the third round at 4 under and reach 16-under 200. Hart (70), Bubba Watson (68), and Woody Austin (69) were tied for second.

Second-round leader Bo Van Pelt (73) was another shot back along with Kenny Perry (67), the highest-ranked player in a lackluster field that includes just three of the world's top 30 players.

US Open runner-up Rocco Mediate (67) was 9 under for the tournament and said he's too tired to stay in Michigan tomorrow to play in the British Open qualifier.

Champions - Loren Roberts had four birdies on the back nine and shot a 3-under 68, extending his lead to two strokes after two rounds of the Commerce Bank Championship in East Meadow, N.Y.

David Eger (66) and Scott Simpson (67) shared second at 7-under 135 in the $1.6 million event at Eisenhower Park.

Roberts has yet to win this year, but has three second-place finishes and is fourth on the money list.

Roberts bogeyed No. 1 before nine straight pars had him three shots off the lead. But he birdied No. 11 from 5 feet and added birdies on Nos. 14, 15, and 17 to take advantage of late swoons by Mike Goodes (68) and Keith Fergus (70), who both reached 8 under before faltering.

European - Qualifier Pablo Larrazabal shot a 4-under 67 and held a three-stroke lead after three rounds of the French Open in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

He was at 11-under 202, with Colin Montgomerie (68) and Soren Hansen (67) sharing second.