RECARI LEADS WEBB BY TWO SHOTS AT KIA CLASSIC
FROM THE LPGA TOUR.COM WEBSITE
Beatriz Recari (@BeatrizRecari) increased her lead to two shots at the Kia Classic (@LPGAKiaClassic) after a 3-under 69 in the third round on Saturday.
It was the Spaniard’s third-consecutive bogey-free round and used a birdie on No. 11 and eagle on No. 16 to move to 11-under for the week. LPGA and World Hall of Famer Karrie Webb trails Recari by two shots heading into Sunday’s final round.
“I don't think I have ever played bogey free after three rounds,” said Recari. “I don't think, no. I mean, I've minimized mistakes, I've had a few bogeys, I've had one or two bogeys, but bogey free, I think that's a new record for me. The last time I was in the lead heading into the 4th round was when I won, so it feels good.”
Recari is playing for her second-career victory, her first coming in her rookie year when she captured the 2010 CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
Looking for the calm: Beatriz Recari had struggles like any other rookie in her rookie season back in 2010, but the 25-year old has been trying to get back to a certain mindset she had that season.
Recari said she was extremely calm when she held the third-round lead for the first time in her career when she won at the CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
“To be honest with you, in my rookie year I was so calm,” said Recari. “After that I'm like okay, let's try and get that memory again and kind of like, you know, but I was so calm.”
Recari, who made her 38th consecutive cut this weekend, didn’t always make it look completely easy. She said winning isn’t totally complicated, but it’s usually her mental game that steps in the way.
“You know, winning is very simple, it is very easy,” said Recari. “You just make it hard for yourself and you start thinking the wrong things and that's what I was saying. Before when I won, I was so calm and I was surprised how calm I was because I was just doing the right things.
"That win was very special because my beginning of my rookie year wasn't easy. I struggled a bit so that was very special. And after that I've been just focusing on getting my game better and better to put my name more consistently up there like I'm doing now.
"So I'm just very happy and hopefully I'm definitely doing the right things and just keep on doing that and getting the next win or more wins, but that's kind of been the process.”
Where she wants to be: Karrie Webb admitted after her round on Saturday that she’s exactly in the position she wants to be in. The 38-time LPGA Tour winner said her extensive experience being in the hunt on Sunday’s might give her the edge down the home straight.
“I feel like that's my comfort zone,” said Webb. “Not every time that I give myself a chance to win do I win, but that's where I feel the most comfortable. I think where I felt awkward and not enjoying myself is when maybe I have to try and make a cut. I don't like that, so I don't like being out there just to make up the numbers.
"I like to have a chance to win and I've put myself in there with a good shot tomorrow. Because of my experience, I'm comfortable there.”
Webb bogeyed her last two holes of her round on Saturday to drop two shots off the lead with 18 holes left to play. But the Australian said there was nothing that happened out on the course that left her worrying about playing tomorrow.
“The two swings on 17, I don't even know where they came from,” said Webb. “Then 18 was just a really bad mental job worrying about hitting it right.
"So I don't have to worry about anything there, I feel good with how things are. I hit some good putts today and hit the ball well. I had three chances at eagle, three putts at eagle today and that doesn't happen for me very often, so I'm happy with the way things are and hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow.”
Looking for that win: Paula Creamer has played in 56 LPGA events since capturing her last victory at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont. And there is no question that she would love to see that winless streak end on Sunday at the Kia Classic.
So what will be the key to Creamer finally breaking through again?
“I just want to kind of stay in my own world and not get wrapped up in everything,” Creamer said after shooting a 1-under 71 in Saturday’s third round. “I think it's going to be a good group going second to last.
"You're right in contention but you're fighting for the lead. There's a little bit different atmosphere in that sense and you're trying to start off strong. But this golf course is a lot about the last five, six holes and if I can get to there and we'll see what happens.”
Creamer wasn’t completely pleased with her 71 on Saturday, lamenting a few three-putts that led to bogeys at the end of her round on No. 16 and No. 18. But she still finds herself three back of leader, Beatriz Recari, heading into Sunday’s final round and right there in contention once again.
“I really feel like if I can eliminate those three putts, then I can be right there on 18,” she said. “I think if I look at all my bogeys, actually they've all been three putts, speed related, and that's something that I'm going to be very aware of tomorrow.”
Creamer came very close to ending her winless streak at last year’s Kingsmill Championship when she lost in a 9-hole playoff to Jiyai Shin. Creamer acknowledges that the long layoff between wins has been difficult, which is no surprise considering the 26-year-old’s competitive nature.
“It's one of the hardest things,” Creamer said. “Obviously I've gone through a lot with surgery and you're never the same after that. It takes some time to get back to where you are and just having the strength, and honestly not being afraid that you're going to hurt yourself again.
"I feel that I'm playing great, I'm hitting great golf shots. You know, we have kind of a thing with my team, I hate talking about the old Paula because I'm still the same girl, still the same golfer and this and that, I don't like that phrase, but I kind of feel like I guess I'm back at hitting a lot of greens, making birdie putts, making big putts at big moments and that's what I was doing.
"I've never been very far from it, it's just a matter of time of coming back to it.”
Streaks intact: Four of the longest streaks of consecutive made cuts were kept alive this weekend in Carlsbad when Karrie Webb, Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin and Beatriz Recari extended their respective streaks of weekends made on the LPGA Tour. Webb leads the pack making her 49th straight cut.
Karrie Webb- 49 (last missed cut: 2010 P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented By Walmart)
Paula Creamer- 47 (last missed cut: 2010 LPGA Tour Championship)
Jiyai Shin- 41 (last missed cut: 2010 LPGA Tour Championship)
Beatriz Recari- 38 (last missed cut: 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic)
Major prize on the line: In addition to a tournament victory being on the line in Sunday’s final round at the Kia Classic, there are also at least 10 spots in the upcoming Kraft Nabisco Championship up for grabs.
The top-10 players plus ties on the current year LPGA Official Money List, not otherwise qualified, at the end of this week will qualify for the Kraft Nabisco Championship. That is as long as the players were within the Top-90 positions on the current year LPGA Official Money List at the beginning of tournament competition.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
Players from USA unless stated
205 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 67 69.
207 Karrie Webb (Australia) 67 70 70.
208 Paula Creamer 69 68 71, I K Kim (South Korea) 71 67 70.
209 Stacy Lewis 70 70 69, Lizette Salas 69 70 70, Cristie Kerr 70 68 71
SELECTED EUROPEAN SCORES
211 Azahara Munoz (Spain) 72 70 69, Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 71 71 69 (T10).
213 Sandra Gall (Germany) 70 72 71 (T17).
214 Giulia Sergas (Italy) 68 74 72, Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) 67 72 75 (T20).
215 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 69 74 72 (T25)
216 Carlota Ciganda (Spain) 70 72 74 (T32)
217 Belen Mozo (Spain) 70 76 71 (T40).
218 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 75 72 71 (T48)
221 Felicity Johnson (England) 72 73 76 (T60)
222 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 73 73 76 (T63)
223 Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 75 71 77 (T68)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Beatriz Recari (@BeatrizRecari) increased her lead to two shots at the Kia Classic (@LPGAKiaClassic) after a 3-under 69 in the third round on Saturday.
It was the Spaniard’s third-consecutive bogey-free round and used a birdie on No. 11 and eagle on No. 16 to move to 11-under for the week. LPGA and World Hall of Famer Karrie Webb trails Recari by two shots heading into Sunday’s final round.
“I don't think I have ever played bogey free after three rounds,” said Recari. “I don't think, no. I mean, I've minimized mistakes, I've had a few bogeys, I've had one or two bogeys, but bogey free, I think that's a new record for me. The last time I was in the lead heading into the 4th round was when I won, so it feels good.”
Recari is playing for her second-career victory, her first coming in her rookie year when she captured the 2010 CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
Looking for the calm: Beatriz Recari had struggles like any other rookie in her rookie season back in 2010, but the 25-year old has been trying to get back to a certain mindset she had that season.
Recari said she was extremely calm when she held the third-round lead for the first time in her career when she won at the CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
“To be honest with you, in my rookie year I was so calm,” said Recari. “After that I'm like okay, let's try and get that memory again and kind of like, you know, but I was so calm.”
Recari, who made her 38th consecutive cut this weekend, didn’t always make it look completely easy. She said winning isn’t totally complicated, but it’s usually her mental game that steps in the way.
“You know, winning is very simple, it is very easy,” said Recari. “You just make it hard for yourself and you start thinking the wrong things and that's what I was saying. Before when I won, I was so calm and I was surprised how calm I was because I was just doing the right things.
"That win was very special because my beginning of my rookie year wasn't easy. I struggled a bit so that was very special. And after that I've been just focusing on getting my game better and better to put my name more consistently up there like I'm doing now.
"So I'm just very happy and hopefully I'm definitely doing the right things and just keep on doing that and getting the next win or more wins, but that's kind of been the process.”
Where she wants to be: Karrie Webb admitted after her round on Saturday that she’s exactly in the position she wants to be in. The 38-time LPGA Tour winner said her extensive experience being in the hunt on Sunday’s might give her the edge down the home straight.
“I feel like that's my comfort zone,” said Webb. “Not every time that I give myself a chance to win do I win, but that's where I feel the most comfortable. I think where I felt awkward and not enjoying myself is when maybe I have to try and make a cut. I don't like that, so I don't like being out there just to make up the numbers.
"I like to have a chance to win and I've put myself in there with a good shot tomorrow. Because of my experience, I'm comfortable there.”
Webb bogeyed her last two holes of her round on Saturday to drop two shots off the lead with 18 holes left to play. But the Australian said there was nothing that happened out on the course that left her worrying about playing tomorrow.
“The two swings on 17, I don't even know where they came from,” said Webb. “Then 18 was just a really bad mental job worrying about hitting it right.
"So I don't have to worry about anything there, I feel good with how things are. I hit some good putts today and hit the ball well. I had three chances at eagle, three putts at eagle today and that doesn't happen for me very often, so I'm happy with the way things are and hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow.”
Looking for that win: Paula Creamer has played in 56 LPGA events since capturing her last victory at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont. And there is no question that she would love to see that winless streak end on Sunday at the Kia Classic.
So what will be the key to Creamer finally breaking through again?
“I just want to kind of stay in my own world and not get wrapped up in everything,” Creamer said after shooting a 1-under 71 in Saturday’s third round. “I think it's going to be a good group going second to last.
"You're right in contention but you're fighting for the lead. There's a little bit different atmosphere in that sense and you're trying to start off strong. But this golf course is a lot about the last five, six holes and if I can get to there and we'll see what happens.”
Creamer wasn’t completely pleased with her 71 on Saturday, lamenting a few three-putts that led to bogeys at the end of her round on No. 16 and No. 18. But she still finds herself three back of leader, Beatriz Recari, heading into Sunday’s final round and right there in contention once again.
“I really feel like if I can eliminate those three putts, then I can be right there on 18,” she said. “I think if I look at all my bogeys, actually they've all been three putts, speed related, and that's something that I'm going to be very aware of tomorrow.”
Creamer came very close to ending her winless streak at last year’s Kingsmill Championship when she lost in a 9-hole playoff to Jiyai Shin. Creamer acknowledges that the long layoff between wins has been difficult, which is no surprise considering the 26-year-old’s competitive nature.
“It's one of the hardest things,” Creamer said. “Obviously I've gone through a lot with surgery and you're never the same after that. It takes some time to get back to where you are and just having the strength, and honestly not being afraid that you're going to hurt yourself again.
"I feel that I'm playing great, I'm hitting great golf shots. You know, we have kind of a thing with my team, I hate talking about the old Paula because I'm still the same girl, still the same golfer and this and that, I don't like that phrase, but I kind of feel like I guess I'm back at hitting a lot of greens, making birdie putts, making big putts at big moments and that's what I was doing.
"I've never been very far from it, it's just a matter of time of coming back to it.”
Streaks intact: Four of the longest streaks of consecutive made cuts were kept alive this weekend in Carlsbad when Karrie Webb, Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin and Beatriz Recari extended their respective streaks of weekends made on the LPGA Tour. Webb leads the pack making her 49th straight cut.
Karrie Webb- 49 (last missed cut: 2010 P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented By Walmart)
Paula Creamer- 47 (last missed cut: 2010 LPGA Tour Championship)
Jiyai Shin- 41 (last missed cut: 2010 LPGA Tour Championship)
Beatriz Recari- 38 (last missed cut: 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic)
Major prize on the line: In addition to a tournament victory being on the line in Sunday’s final round at the Kia Classic, there are also at least 10 spots in the upcoming Kraft Nabisco Championship up for grabs.
The top-10 players plus ties on the current year LPGA Official Money List, not otherwise qualified, at the end of this week will qualify for the Kraft Nabisco Championship. That is as long as the players were within the Top-90 positions on the current year LPGA Official Money List at the beginning of tournament competition.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
Players from USA unless stated
205 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 67 69.
207 Karrie Webb (Australia) 67 70 70.
208 Paula Creamer 69 68 71, I K Kim (South Korea) 71 67 70.
209 Stacy Lewis 70 70 69, Lizette Salas 69 70 70, Cristie Kerr 70 68 71
SELECTED EUROPEAN SCORES
211 Azahara Munoz (Spain) 72 70 69, Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 71 71 69 (T10).
213 Sandra Gall (Germany) 70 72 71 (T17).
214 Giulia Sergas (Italy) 68 74 72, Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) 67 72 75 (T20).
215 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 69 74 72 (T25)
216 Carlota Ciganda (Spain) 70 72 74 (T32)
217 Belen Mozo (Spain) 70 76 71 (T40).
218 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 75 72 71 (T48)
221 Felicity Johnson (England) 72 73 76 (T60)
222 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 73 73 76 (T63)
223 Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 75 71 77 (T68)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: LPGA TOUR
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