(11 July 2009 – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
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American Cristie Kerr remains the only player in the field to post a three round total under par at the 64th US Women&aposs Open at the difficult Saucon Creek Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. On a day that saw only 7 players break par, Kerr&aposs total of 2-under total 211 leaves her with a 2-shot lead over Korea&aposs Eun Hee Ji going into the final round. Two players are tied for third at 2-over par; FUTURES Tour leader Jean Reynolds and Taiwanese born Teresa Lu. Another three players sit in a tie for 5th and can certainly not be discounted on this most challenging of Open layouts.
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Kerr, who is chasing her second US Open title (and second Major) battled the windy conditions in the third round to post a 1-over par round of 72. Her round included birdies at the par-3 4th and difficult par-4 15th, with bogeys at numbers 2, 9 and 16. it could have been wose on 16 when her drive was heading into further trouble left, only to be stopped by the leg of an unsuspecting spectator. Under the conditions, Kerr&aposs round was very solid and in stark contrast to her compatriot and playing partner Paula Creamer. Creamer had a long day posting 5 bogeys, a triple bogey and zero birdies. The crowd favourite was visibly upset by the way her day was going. Full credit to her though, she did manage a smile walking off 15 tee when a vociferous spectator asked for one.
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Second placed Ji arguably played the nine holes of the tournament this afternoon to get herself well in contention for her first Major title. A rookie in 2007, she posted her maiden (and only) victory on the LPGA at the Wegmans in 2008. After a front nine that yielded 3 bogeys and 1 birdie, Ji fired three birdies on route to an inward half of 32 strokes; 3 -under par, propelling herself into the last group with Kerr.
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Reynolds, current leader of the Duramed FUTURES Tour Money List started the day in third only two shots behind Kerr. After 14 holes, she had moved to second and still just two shots behind the leader. The pressure started to tell and a couple of loose swings led to three bogeys in the final four holes to finish four behind. She is tied with the sweet-swinging Taiwanese player, Lu who notched two birdies and the solitary bogey in a splendidly solid round of golf.
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Lindsey Wright and Karrie Webb were the only ALPG Members to make the cut and they are both tied 27th after the completion of the third round. Wright, who started the day at 2-over total 144 and in a tie for 8th had a difficult day at the office. She started on a positive note with a birdie the 1st hole, however that was to be her only birdie of the day. She recorded five bogeys on the front nine to go out in 40, 4-over par. Two more bogeys on the back saw her finish at 6-over par 77 to go into Day 4 at 8-over par total 221.
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Webb started the day with six straight pars before recording back-to-back bogeys on the long par-4 7th and 8th holes. She then drove the green on the par-4 10th and two putted to record her only birdie of the day. Two more bogeys on the back nine saw her finish her round at 3-over par 74.