SOUTHPORT, England, July 19 (UPI) -- Greg Norman holds a two-stroke lead after 54 holes of the British Open golf tournament at Southport, England.

The 53-year-old Australian continued to turn back the clock by shooting 72 in Saturday's windy third round at the Royal Birkdale course and will attempt to win the event for a third time Sunday.

His total, 2-over 212, makes him the oldest player ever to lead a major tournament after 54 holes.

Obviously, I'm enjoying myself at the toughest British Open I've ever played in, Norman said in a television interview. I never expected the winds to be this brutal (and) I'm glad I (felt) nervous. My expectations for this tournament remain low.

The last time he held a 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour was at the 1996 Masters.

With overall scores of 4-over 214, defending champion Padraig Harrington (72) and second-round leader K.J. Choi (75) share second place. England's Simon Wakefield (70) is alone in fourth at 5-over 215.

STANFORD, Calif., July 19 (UPI) -- Veteran American tennis players Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport have withdrawn from the East West Bank Classic because of injuries.

Both players have right knee ailments. The event at Carson, Calif., starts Monday.

Williams, who won at Wimbledon this season, is nursing tendinitis and has not played since she beat her sister Serena in the Wimbledon final July 5.

I have been receiving treatment for tendinitis in my right knee over the last several days and my medical advisers have encouraged me to allow myself an additional week to completely recover, Williams said. I look forward to returning to tournament play and my plans are still intact to compete (later) this summer.

Davenport's knee injury prevented her from playing at the French Open.

I always look forward to the opportunity to play so close to home, but unfortunately my knee has not completely healed at this point, said Davenport, a native of nearby Palos Verdes.

DIGNE-LES-BAINES, France, July 19 (UPI) -- Oscar Freire of Spain dashed to a win in the Tour de France's 14th stage Saturday but Australia's Cadel Evans clung to the yellow leader's jersey by one second.

Freire out-sprinted the pack in the final 110 yards of the nearly 121-mile run from Nimes to Digne-les-Baines in four hours, 13 minutes and eight seconds. It was his first stage win in this year's event and the fourth of his career.

Leonardo Duque of Colombia was a bike length back in second and Erik Zabel of Germany was third. Ninety riders were given the same time as the stage winner.

Evans was one second ahead of Luxembourg's Frank Schleck in the overall standings after finishing 28th Saturday. Schleck finished the stage 34th.

In third place overall -- 38 seconds back -- was American Christian Vande Velde, who was 21st Saturday. Austria's Bernhard Kohl finished 32nd in the stage and remained 46 seconds behind Evans.

Denis Menchov of Russia is in fifth place, followed by Spain's Carlos Sastre and Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen.

Sunday's 113-mile 15th stage takes place in the Alps and will be followed by a rest day.

MILWAUKEE, July 19 (UPI) -- Gavin Coles shot 2-under-par 68 Saturday to move into a third-round tie for the lead with Nick Flanagan at the U.S. Bank Championship.

Flanagan, the co-leader with Richard S. Johnson after the second round, shot a 69 to find himself tied with Coles at 11-under 199.

Johnson carded a 70 Saturday to fall into a third-place tie with Jon Mills -- who fired a 6-under 64 -- Ken Duke (68) and George McNeill (66) at 10-under 200.

Five more players, including defending champion Joe Ogilvie, are tied for seventh at 201.

AURORA, Colo., July 19 (UPI) -- Jack Newman pulled away to beat John Chin 5 and 3 in the 36-hole final Saturday to win the U.S. Amateur Public Links.

Newman, 20, never trailed more than 2-down and led 2-up heading to the final nine. He had just taken the 27th hole thanks to Chin's bogey.

The 20-year-old Newman took the 28th with a birdie and made it three straight wins after Chin bogeyed the 29th to go 4-down.

With a 4-up lead with four holes to go, Newman only needed to halve the 33rd hole to win the match. But Chin suffered a double-bogey after driving into a water hazard and conceded a birdie to Newman.