Cristie Kerr moves to top of LPGA money

table with another Michelob Ultra win

Cristie Kerr, title winner in 2005, broke a four-way logjam with a birdie at the 15th hole in the final round and went on to win again the LPGA Tour's Michelob Ultra Open, with a 16-under-par total of 286 at Kingsmill Resort & Spa, Williamsburg, Virgina.
Kerr, who also won in 2005, went from one shot behind to the lead when Song-Hee Kim of South Korea made a double bogey on the par-4 16th and Kerr made her birdie moments later a hole behind.
The putt gave Kerr a 16-under total, and when other challengers In-Kyung Kim and third-round co-leader, Kent-born Australian Lindsey Wright, also bogeyed, Kerr led by two shots with two holes left.
Kerr held on for her 12th career victory and earned the $330,000 winner's cheque, moving her to the top of the money list on the LPGA Tour for the season with more than $700,000.
In-Kyung Kim finished second when Wright bogeyed the finishing hole.
Wright, who shared the third-round lead with Kerr, and Song-Hee Kim shared third at 271.
Lorena Ochoa, whose 13-under total after two rounds was a tournament record, started the day five shots back, and a birdie on the first hole hinted that she might make a charge.
But the world's top-ranked player followed with bogeys on three of her next four holes and faded.
Only half of the top 10 finishers shot under par, and none was better than 3 under.
Wright, a six-year tour member seeking her first victory, fell two back when she missed the green with her approach at the difficult par-4 16th, chipped on and two-putted.
This might be the seventh and last staging of the Michelob Ultra Open. It could be another victim of the Credit Crunch.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS AND MONEY
Par 284 (4 x 71) 6315yd.
268 Cristie Kerr ($330,000) 69-63-66-70.
270 In-Kyung Kim ($202,680) 68-64-67-7.
271 Song-Hee Kim ($130,385) 69-63-68-71, Lindsey Wright ($130,385) 65-69-64-63.
273 Wendy Ward ($91,548) 72-64-67-70.
274 Shiho Oyama ($74,902) 69-66-70-69.
275 Angela Stanford ($58,813) 68-68-70-69, Natalie Gulbis ($58,813) 70-65-68-72.
276 Ai Miyazato ($49,380) 71-65-72-68.
277 Lorena Ochoa ($44,941) 64-65-74-74.
278 Juli Inkster ($37,755) 71-67-70-70.
Selected scores:
279 Michelle Wie ($29,073) 70-67-73-69 (jt 15th).
280 Becky Morgan ($22,499) 73-69-70-68 (jt 20th).
294 Janice Moodie ($4,356) 69-74-75-76 (jt 71st).
MISSED THE CUT
145 Johanna (Head) Mundy 73 72.
147 Laura Davies 72 75, Stacy Lewis 77 70.
151 Karen Stupples 74 77.