KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT AND SCORES

 LIZETTE SALAS, 3 AHEAD, BIDDING 

FOR FIRST WIN ON LPGA TOUR
FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Lizette Salas leads by three strokes at 13-under-par from Hee Young Park with three players, Lydia Ko, Katherine Kirk and Stacy Lewis tied for third place at eight under par with one round to go in the LPGA Tour's Kingsmill Championship at Williamsburg, Virginia.
Moving day had plenty of movement as Lydia Ko moved from T12 at the start of the day to T3 by the end. With a win this weekend, Ko will become the Rolex Ranking No 1 player in the world at just 17 years of age. 
 Pornanong Phatlum made quite a move herself, starting the day T29 and finishing at T6 headed into the final round.
As impressive as those moves were, there was quite a battle going at the top of the leaderboard between California native Lizette Salas (-13) and South Korean Hee Young Park (-10).  The two traded birdies throughout the day with Salas’ bogey-free round allowing her to take a two stroke lead into the final 18 holes.
“I felt really good. “ Salas said. “Like my mentality. Yes, I was quite nervous coming down the stretch, Hee Young was knocking it close to the pin. But I felt good. I felt relaxed most importantly. I was just trying to smile as much as possible.”
Salas, who shot a 6-under 65, is in search of her first career LPGA win. She has been in contention this year with a runner up finish at the Kia Classic and a T3 at the Pure Silk Bahamas Classic. 
She has the experience dealing with the nerves and feels that her mentality has changed this year and that could be the key to locking up her first career LPGA win.
“I took a different approach this week.” Salas said. “I only played the pro am. I’ve seen the course several times. It’s my third year here. I didn’t want to think too much about the golf course and just hit my targets. Last week I had a good practice session at home, so I was feeling good coming in.”
17-year old Lydia Ko heads into the final round tomorrow with a legitimate chance to become the Rolex Rankings #1 but only if she wins the tournament.
Ko made a Saturday run, starting the day T12 and ending T3 thanks to a 67. Despite the great play by many others on the course, they did not play a factor in her performance today.
“I really didn’t think about the other players.” Ko said. “I just wanted to keep to my game and just do as I planned.  If it goes to my plan, that’s great. I just try to concentrate on my game. 
"It’s hard enough trying to concentrate and get things done by yourself.  But there are some really good scores out there, so I’m just going to try my best tomorrow.”
She feels like she is improving every day which has to make some of the pher players on tour pretty nervous.
“Yeah, overall I’m really happy. “ Ko said. “I mean, I guess improving every day is a really good sign.”
MOVING ON UP
The five-under 66 that Pornanong Phatlum fired Saturday was her best round since posting a final-round 6-under 66 at the JTBC Founders Cup March 23. The spectacular seven birdie, two bogey round included a birdie on the difficult par-3 17th hole.
She came into the day relaxed and confident and it helped get her off to a good start. That good start carried through and helped her head to the clubhouse T6.
“Just be confident today.  I have a good confidence with my putter and like short game today,” Phatlum said after her round on what helped her have such a good day.
COMING BACK
Katherine Kirk was noticeably disappointed when she blasted her second shot on 18 into the front greenside bunker. Not so much five minutes later when she blasted the 23-yard bunker shot into the hole, setting off a celebration in the stands, a high five with her playing partners and up to the leaderboard to 8-under-par for the tournament.
“I hit a little gap wedge up there. I didn’t see where it landed, but saw it catch the edge at the last minute and drop in,” she said.
Her third-round 68 (-3) has her five back of Lizette Salas heading into the final round but she’s been in this position before and came back. Her first career win at the 2008 Canadian Women’s Open, she was six back of the lead when a final round 69 was enough to get the win.
“It’s going to be very tough [to catch Salas]. Yeah, I mean, there are birdies out here and it is a crazy game,” she said.
ACE IN THE HOLE
Assistant Solheim Cup captain Pat Hurst showed the American players what she expects out of them in Germany in 2015 when she aced 17. Hurst used a 9-iron for her second career LPGA ace.
She hit in downwind and was able to see it go in. She and Jennifer Rosales celebrated with a high five after she holed it.
“It was fun, a lot of fun.” Hurst said.
THE SOCIAL SCENE
Even though Paula Creamer missed the cut for the first time since 2010, she is making good use of the time by re-grouping and getting some “me time” in Williamsburg. She does have her #1 sidekick along with - her dog Studley.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 213 (3x71) players from USA unless stated
200 Lizette Salas 69 68 65
203 Hee Young Park (S Korea) 66 68 69
205 Lydia Ko (NZ) 70 68 67, Katherine Kirk 69 68 68, Stacy Lewis 70 65 70

SELECTED SCORES
210 Charley Hull (England) 70 68 71 (T19)
214 Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 71 71 (T48)

MISSED THE CUT (144 and better qualified)
145 Paula Creamer 73 72
147 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 73 74
149 Karen Stupples (England) 75 74
151 Felicity Johnson 77 74

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