Cristie Kerr on Saturday blew a five-stroke lead in the Kia Classic to set up a final-round showdown at Aviara Golf Club.
A day after shooting an eight-under 64 to open a big lead, Kerr had a 75 to drop a stroke behind playing partner Lizette Salas, Ji Eun-hee and Kim In-kyung.
Kerr was tied with Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling, Caroline Hedwall and Cindy LaCrosse, and four players were another shot back in the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week at Mission Hills.
Photo: AFP
“There is still Sunday,” Kerr said. “Somebody else got to sleep with the lead.”
The 40-year-old Kerr had a double bogey on the par-four 15th after snap-hooking a drive into the trees and hitting a hybrid off a cart path.
“I just didn’t have it,” Kerr said. “I’ve got to go work on my game a little bit. Kind of been a little bit of the story this year, a little bit of inconsistency. Just got to be grateful I’m only one back with a whole new Sunday.”
The 2015 winner at Aviara, she followed the double bogey with a two-putt birdie on the short par-four 16th and had a bogey on the par-four 18th.
“Mentally, just wasn’t quite as sharp. Swing wasn’t quite as sharp,” Kerr said. “I mean, every putt I hit like bounced horribly. Like a lot of putts didn’t have a chance to go in the hole. I don’t know why it was different today on the greens.”
Ji had a 67 to match Salas (69) and Kim (69) at 11-under 205.
Anna Nordqvist had a 66 to top the group at nine-under.
Top-ranked Shanshan Feng (69) and Lydia Ko (70) were four strokes back at seven-under. Inbee Park, coming off a victory last week in the Founders Cup in Phoenix, was six-under after a 68. Singapore winner Michelle Wie had a 68 to get to five-under.
Taiwan’s Chien Pei-yun was 82nd with three-over.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two