CRISTIE KERR LEADS BY TWO WITH A ROUND TO GO IN KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP

      CRISTIE KERR ... bidding for 16th LPGA Tour victory

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE

Fifteen-time LPGA Tour winner Cristie Kerr made a serge up the leaderboard on Saturday to take a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the Kingsmill Championship.
 Kerr fired a 5-under 66 during Saturday’s round with Rolex Rankings No. 5 Suzann Pettersen and No. 2 Stacy Lewis trailing by two strokes.
Kerr, who is a two-time winner at the River Course at Kingsmill Resort, found herself in a familiar position after Saturday’s third round as she leads the field at 10-under par.
She either led or co-led heading into the final round during each of her victories in 2005 and 2009, which gives her plenty of confidence heading into Sunday even though she has a strong group of players within striking distance
“You have to really play a good round tomorrow either whether you're two ahead or two behind, like I said,” said Kerr. 
“I think just going to try to stay lose, I'm going to try and stay focused and, you know, in those pressure situations, pressure moments tomorrow that I'm going to face, I think I've just got to keep doing what I've done, you know, the last three days and that's really focus on the process of the shot.  
"I know it sounds kind of boring, but that's when I do my best.  If I do that and I start rolling the rock, I'm going to be hard to beat.”
But Kerr isn’t completely safe with the lead as three top LPGA Tour competitors are within three strokes off her pace with Lewis and Pettersen at 8-under par and No. 18 Angela Stanford at 7-under par. 
Pettersen, who also has a victory in Williamsburg, says the title is still be up for grabs on Sunday. 
“I think there's a lot of great players out there right there in the mix,” said Pettersen. “Cristie's two ahead, I don't really think that that's a massive advantage right now.  We're all going to go out tomorrow trying to shoot as low as we can.  It would take more than 10‑under to win, so I guess, I don't know, we'll see after four rounds who's on top.”
California native Lizette Salas made a statement on Saturday after delivering a blemish-free 6-under 65 to put her at a tie for 6th along with first and second-round leader Ariya Jutanugarn. 
The teenage Thailand native lost her grip on the lead after opening her round with back-to-back bogeys. She went on to card four additional bogeys and four birdies to end with a one-over 73.
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park carded a 2-under 69 on Saturday to put her in a tie for eighth with sponsor exemption and LPGA Tour rookie Katie Burnett at 4-under par.
“I just think this golf course produces a winner with a good ball striker,” said Suzann Pettersen. “It's a ball striker's course.  It has produced probably the best ball strikers champions in the past.  There will never be a surprise around this track of who's going to win it.”
Stacy Lewis agreed and knows the hard-core competition at the top is great for both the fans and players. She noted that the talent level and intensity has a Solheim Cup feel.
“You look at the past champions, we've talked about it all week, but I think it's great for the fans, you know,” said Lewis. “They know our names, they've seen us win, and it's good for the tournament to have players up there like that.  We kind of had a little Solheim Cup feel today going.”
It’s somewhat of a homecoming for Cristie Kerr (@CKGolferChic) when she returns to Williamsburg when the LPGA Tour is in town. Since Kerr has been staying with the same host family since the early years of the event, she always knows she’ll be at ease when she returns ‘home’ from the course. She credits Michael and Linda Whittaker for making her stays here so enjoyable.
“I've stayed with them since maybe first or second year of this tournament when it was the Michelob Ultra tournament, so I don't even know how many years that is, maybe 10 or more,” said Kerr. “Yeah, they're kind of like my adopted parents.  They can never take the place of my parents obviously, and my dad is actually here this week.  No, it's just great.  They cook every night and they make it kind of a stress-free week for me.  They travel to see me at the Open and different tournaments and Solheim and it's just they're a lot of fun.”
Kerr, who has won two of her 15 career victories at the River Course at Kingsmill Resort and has added three top-6 finishes, says she feels the love beyond her host family.
“The LPGA set me up with them a long time ago,” said Kerr. “They have a lot of men when the men play here and they said they like the women in Kingsmill more than the guys staying with them.  
"They think we're more personable, they think we're approachable, you know.  Actually one of the volunteers walking up to the range, I don't remember what day it was, maybe Wednesday or Thursday, said when the guys, they come, they don't even want to make eye contact, and the girls are so approachable and we look the volunteers in the eyes and we thank them.  That's what the LPGA Tour's about.”
Solid debut: 2013 LPGA Tour rookie Katie Burnett is making her LPGA Tour debut as a member this week and has kept herself in the mix after a third-round 71. She’s currently in a tie for eighth at 4-under par.
“Definitely I had quite a bit of nerves, especially today with the big crowd on No. 1, but I just wanted to come out and have fun,” said Burnett. “I've been playing well, so I was hoping that was just going to ride into this week.  Obviously I don't really have much expectation competing against the best players in the world but I hoped, I hoped to play well.”
Burnett is also a member on the Ladies European Tour and has seen early success across the pond. In two events, she has recorded a tie for second along with a solo fourth place finish. She said being in contention in Europe helped prepare her for the big stage this week.
“Yeah, I think you always draw on other tournaments that were in sort of similar type conditions,” said Burnett. “With it being on TV and there's quite a few people actually there, I think I was a little more relaxed than I would have been had I not had that experience.  I was definitely nervous here, but I think I'm less nervous than I would have been.”
Burnett faces the challenge of playing on both tours in her upcoming schedule. She is scheduled to play in the LET’s event in Turkey next week and then the LPGA’s Mobile Bay Classic in Mobile, Ala. the following week.
“Yes, I'm flying out Sunday to Turkey and then coming right back to Mobile.”
Lizette Salas (@LizetteSalas5) turned to a little Saturday superstition to hopefully continue her strong play on ‘moving day.’ Salas, who was wearing an outfit of purple tones at Kraft, said her choice of attire has helped keep things fun in the heat of the tournament.
“Purple Saturday,” Salas now calls it. “It started at the Kraft Nabisco and obviously I played well that day, and in Hawaii wore purple on Saturday where I shot 62, so I'm going to keep this purple thing going.  It's fun.  Also have my purple shoes so it's something fun.  Just figure it's Saturday, just try to have a good time.”
At the Tour’s stop in Hawaii, Salas started five strokes back and forced a playoff with Suzann Pettersen after posting a 10-under 62.
“Yesterday I was too caught up in trying to be perfect and I have to understand that I can't be perfect all the time and I just have to go out and play and that's exactly what I did,” said Salas. “And no bogeys, which is always good, and this course can… it's a tough one, so you really have to pay attention and just have to keep it simple.”

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 213 (3x71)
203 Cristie Kerr 66 71 66
205 Stacy Lewis 68 68 69, Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 68 69 68
206 Angela Stanford 68 68 70
207 Ilhee Lee (S Korea) 69 69 69
208 Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 64 71 73, Lizette Salas 72 71 65.

BRITISH SCORES
215 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 72 71 72, Karen Stupples (England) 68 71 76, Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 71 73 71 (T40)    

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