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.
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.
Labels: LPGA TOUR
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