GB and Ire unless stated -12 Heather Bowie (US), Rachel Teske (Aus) -11 Cristie Kerr (US), Karen Stupples -10 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) -9 Paula Marti (Spa) -8 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) Laura Davies, Seol-An Jeon (Kor)

Bowie and Teske wound up 12 under on 204, one stroke ahead of long-time leader Karen Stupples and Cristie Kerr.

But Swede Annika Sorenstam had to settle for a share of 10th place after two double bogey sevens gave her 209.

She finished one stroke behind Minea Blomqvist, who holed a 60ft birdie putt on the 18th to set a new record lowest score at a women's major of 62.

The 19-year-old Finn, who only just made the cut after a second-round 78, beat Karrie Webb's record 63 set seven years ago.

Hers was one of six scores of 66 or better in sunny, near windless conditions at Sunningdale.

But they didn't include Sorenstam, who found her hopes of tying Mickey Wright's record of winning all four majors back-to-back badly damaged.

It's a great position to be in - I'm looking forward to seeing if I'm up to the challenge Joint leader Heather Bowie

The Swede, who has dominated women's golf for six years, began with a double-bogey seven and had another at the 14th, to end up with a 70 and be five off the lead.

"I had two bad holes that ruined the whole day for me," said the defending champion.

"I played them too aggressive and I paid the price for those two holes."

Sorenstam is chasing her eighth major and second this year after a repeat success at the LPGA Championship,

Stupples, who also hit 70, had gone 39 holes without a bogey when she double-bogeyed the par-three fourth after her tee shot missed the green.

The Englishwoman, who gained her first LPGA victory in the first tournament of the season in Arizona, was halfway leader at last week's Evian Masters in Paris too and went on to tie for fourth.

Still looking for her first tour victory, Bowie should have taken the outright lead but bogeyed the last.

"I missed the green left with a five-iron and did not get it up and down," said the American, who had eight birdies, three bogeys and just six pars.

"I was the leader last year after two rounds and didn't play well on Saturday," she said.