No wonder so many players refer to this thing as a “sixth major.”
Sure, every previous LPGA Kingsmill champion is a major tournament winner, but it’s also no coincidence that the challenging 6,384-yard River Course seems only to be conquered by the tour’s most elite players.
As per usual, the top of the leaderboard is littered with names of the world’s top-ranked players after three rounds of this weekend’s tournament.
Veteran Cristie Kerr, the only two-time tournament champion at Kingsmill, leads a crowded field of contenders at 10-under-par (66-71-66-203) after carding a 5-under 66 Saturday.
After bogeying her second hole of the day Saturday, Kerr surged to the top of the leaderboard with six birdies the rest of the way.
Kerr, ranked No. 12 in the 2013 Rolex Rankings, will aim to hold off a talented and accomplished field that includes seven other players ranked in the top 25 of the world, including former champion Suzann Petterson (No. 5 in the Rolex standings) and top-ranked American Stacy Lewis (No. 2), who are tied at 8-under entering Sunday’s final round.
Angela Stanford (No. 18 in the world) and Ilhee Lee are three and four strokes back, respectively.
“I played a great round today,” Kerr said. “I played really well the last three days and found a good place in my mental game and just going to go out there and do the same thing tomorrow.
“But, you know, I’ve got to look at it like I’m two back tomorrow because that’s when I play my best golf.”
Kerr is one of Kingsmill’s biggest advocates, and like Stanford, refers to the River Course as one of her favorites on tour.
It must be intimidating chasing a two-stroke leader whose success here over the years is unmatched, right?
“Cristie’s two [strokes] ahead, I don’t think that’s a massive advantage right now,” said Petterson, who won at Kingsmill in 2007. “I mean, we’re all going to go out tomorrow trying to shoot as low as we can. I think there’s a lot of great players out there in the mix.”
Added Lewis, “Kerr’s won here plenty of times, so she knows the deal. She always seem to play well on this golf course, I don’t know what it is.
“We all know what we need to do and it’s just who can pull off those shots at the end of the week.”
Ariya Jutanugarn, the 17-year-old Thai sensation who led after each of the first two rounds, fell to five strokes off the lead after a 2-over 73 on Saturday. She struggled with her putter most of the afternoon – perhaps the most costly was a missed two-footer on 15 to save par – before finishing with six bogeys.
As streaky of a player as Jutanugarn has proven to be over the first two days – she birdied six of her first seven holes on Thursday, and then bogeyed three of her first five on Friday before recovering with four birdies on the back nine – it would be no surprise to see her make a late push Sunday.
The best round of the day was recorded by two-year pro Lizette Salas, who shot her way back into contention after opening rounds of 72-71 with a 5-under 65 Saturday, moving her even with Jutanugarn at 5-under.
“I had some fun today and just attacked the pins and really took advantage of the par 5s,” Salas said. “My swing felt good; I worked on my putting a little bit yesterday and it obviously paid off, so I’m really happy about it.
“To be honest, I didn’t even know what place I was in. I try not to look at the leaderboard and say, ‘You know what, just go have some fun today.’”
Salas’ relaxed approach to Sunday was echoed by most every golfer in contention.
And judging by the credentials boasted by those at the top of the leaderboard, it seems likely that the streak of major champions to win at Kingsmill will continue.
“It’s fun to play with Suzann [Petterson] and [Cristie] Kerr when everyone’s playing well and on their game because that’s when you want to play each other, when everyone is battling down the stretch,” said Lewis. “And it’s great for the fans, they know our names, they’ve seen us win, so it’s good for the tournament to have players like that.”
Added Petterson, who will tee off with the leader Kerr at 1:40 Sunday afternoon, “This golf course just produces a winner.”
Kerr’s combination of confidence, trepidation and comfort playing the River Course could make her tough to catch during the final 18 holes on Sunday.
“There’s no chickens to be counted,” Kerr said. “You have to really play a good round tomorrow whether you’re two ahead or two behind.
“I think I’ve got to keep doing what I’ve done the last three days. If I do that and start rolling the rock, I’m going to be tough to beat.”
