Natalie Gulbis, Pornanong Phatlum and Gerina Piller Share Lead After Third Round Of 2013 CME Group Titleholders

Natalie Gulbis (click to enlarge)

With one round left to play in the LPGA season, a trio of leaders bring divergent storylines to a possible 2013 CME Group Titleholders victory. Natalie Gulbis remains a fan favorite. She is one of the most recognizable LPGA athletes, giving of her time to promote the tour. In short, she is a great ambassador for the sport. However, it has been 6 years since her lone official LPGA win at the 2007 Evian Masters. A huge cheer would resound through the LPGA fan ranks should she deliver a victory on Sunday.

Gerina Piller (click to enlarge)

Another American looking to capture the trophy is co-leader Gerina Piller. The 2013 American Solheim Cup member has worked very hard to put herself in position for her first professional win. A four year standout at the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP), Gerina turned pro the year Natalie won her only event, 2007. Since then she has paid her dues on the Futures Tour (now Symetra Tour), earning her way onto the LPGA and elevating her play to Solheim Cup status. There have been no shortcuts. Nobody handed Gerina anything. It’s always nice to see a player like her finally have that breakthrough victory.

Pornanong Phatlum (click to enlarge)

Rounding out the triumvirate atop the leaderboard at 11-under is Pornanong Phatlum. If you’ve read my blog over a period of time, little needs to be said about how much I’d love to see Waen seize her first official LPGA win (to go with her unofficial victory at the 2012 HSBC Brazil Cup). She knows how to win, as evidenced by her 8 professional wins, including 1 Ladies European Tour triumph. But getting that first official LPGA win is something of a higher order. Waen has teased us with great rounds before. This time, she shares a lead with only 18 holes to play. We will see who among the leaders can hold their nerves and play with focus and calm.

Stacy Lewis (click to enlarge)

The leaders better not become preoccupied with watching one another, for on their heels is a quartet of LPGA champions 2 shots back; Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, Shanshan Feng and 36-hole leader Sandra Gal. Any one of them is a threat to come from behind and claim victory. Beyond those four, Michelle Wie, Azahara Munoz, Cristie Kerr, Sun Young Yoo and 2013 Player of the Year Inbee Park are all within striking distance. This is a pretty good set-up for the final round of the the LPGA calendar.

ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE

GERINA PILLER

PORNANONG PHATLUM

NATALIE GULBIS

LYDIA KO

MICHELLE WIE

SANDRA GAL

SUN YOUNG YOO

CRISTIE KERR

STACY LEWIS

STACY PRAMMANASUDH

Pos	Start	Player		ToPar	Thru	Today	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
	T1	T9		GULBIS, Natalie	-11	F	-7	70	70	65		205
	T1	T3		PILLER, Gerina	-11	F	-5	71	67	67		205
	T1	T3		PHATLUM, Pornanong	-11	F	-5	70	68	67		205
	T4	T33		LEWIS, Stacy	-9	F	-9	71	73	63		207
	T4	T9		FENG, Shanshan	-9	F	-5	66	74	67		207
	T4	T9		THOMPSON, Lexi	-9	F	-5	66	74	67		207
	T4	1		GAL, Sandra	-9	F	+2	64	69	74		207
	8	T23		WIE, Michelle	-8	F	-6	72	70	66		208
	T9	T9		MUNOZ, Azahara	-7	F	-3	72	68	69		209
	T9	T9		PARK, Inbee	-7	F	-3	68	72	69		209
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	T9	T3		KERR, Cristie	-7	F	-1	69	69	71		209
	T9	2		YOO, Sun Young	-7	F	+1	68	68	73		209
	T13	T15		YANG, Amy	-6	F	-3	73	68	69		210
	T13	T15		RYU, So Yeon	-6	F	-3	70	71	69		210
	T13	T9		JOHNSON, Jennifer	-6	F	-2	71	69	70		210
	T16	T26		MIYAZATO, Mika	-5	F	-4	70	73	68		211
	T16	T15		LEE, Meena	-5	F	-2	69	72	70		211
	T16	T15		CHANGKIJA, Sandra	-5	F	-2	67	74	70		211
	T16	T6		PARK, Hee Young	-5	F	E	69	70	72		211
	T20	T26		STANFORD, Angela	-4	F	-3	74	69	69		212
	T20	T26		WEBB, Karrie	-4	F	-3	70	73	69		212
	T20	T15		CHOI, Chella	-4	F	-1	71	70	71		212
	T20	T15		UEHARA, Ayako	-4	F	-1	69	72	71		212
	24	T6		PRESSEL, Morgan	-3	F	+2	71	68	74		213
	T25	T36		LACROSSE, Cindy	-2	F	-3	69	76	69		214
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	T25	T36		PARK, Jane	-2	F	-3	68	77	69		214
	T25	T33		LANG, Brittany	-2	F	-2	68	76	70		214
	T25	T23		KO, Lydia	-2	F	E	71	71	72		214
	T25	T6		NORDQVIST, Anna	-2	F	+3	66	73	75		214
	T30	T43		KORDA, Jessica	-1	F	-3	74	72	69		215
	T30	T43		LEE, Ilhee	-1	F	-3	69	77	69		215
	T30	T36		CHOI, Na Yeon	-1	F	-2	71	74	70		215
	T30	T33		PETTERSEN, Suzann	-1	F	-1	72	72	71		215
	T30	T15		MARTIN, Mo	-1	F	+2	69	72	74		215
	T35	T43		KIM, I.K.	E	F	-2	72	74	70		216
	T35	T36		SHIN, Jenny	E	F	-1	73	72	71		216
	T35	T23		JUTANUGARN, Moriya	E	F	+2	70	72	74		216
	T35	T15		LEE-BENTHAM, Rebecca	E	F	+3	65	76	75		216
	T39	T46		LINDBERG, Pernilla	+2	F	-1	72	75	71		218
	T39	T26		SALAS, Lizette	+2	F	+3	71	72	75		218
	T39	T26		MATTHEW, Catriona	+2	F	+3	70	73	75		218
	T39	T26		ICHER, Karine	+2	F	+3	69	74	75		218
	T43	T54		HAN, Hee-Won	+3	F	-1	75	73	71		219
	T43	T46		CIGANDA, Carlota	+3	F	E	72	75	72		219
	T45	T56		SCHREEFEL, Dewi Claire	+4	F	-1	68	81	71		220
	T45	T54		HEDWALL, Caroline	+4	F	E	74	74	72		220
	T45	T46		WALSHE, Alison	+4	F	+1	74	73	73		220
	T45	T46		LINCICOME, Brittany	+4	F	+1	68	79	73		220
	T45	T36		KUNG, Candie	+4	F	+3	71	74	75		220
	T45	T36		PRAMMANASUDH, Stacy	+4	F	+3	71	74	75		220
	T45	T26		INKSTER, Juli	+4	F	+5	69	74	77		220
	T52	62		HULL-KIRK, Katherine	+5	F	-2	73	78	70		221
	T52	T58		ARIMURA, Chie	+5	F	-1	73	77	71		221
	T52	T46		CHO, Irene	+5	F	+2	73	74	74		221
	T52	T46		MIYAZATO, Ai	+5	F	+2	69	78	74		221
	T52	T36		EWART SHADOFF, Jodi	+5	F	+4	72	73	76		221
	T57	T56		RECARI, Beatriz	+6	F	+1	72	77	73		222
	T57	T46		HUR, Mi Jung	+6	F	+3	73	74	75		222
	59	T46		SEO, Hee Kyung	+7	F	+4	74	73	76		223
	T60	T63		KANG, Hanna	+8	F	E	74	78	72		224
	T60	T58		JI, Eun-Hee	+8	F	+2	75	75	74		224
	T60	T58		CREAMER, Paula	+8	F	+2	74	76	74		224
	63	T58		JANG, Jeong	+9	F	+3	77	73	75		225
	64	T65		MASSON, Caroline	+10	F	+1	77	76	73		226
	T65	68		ERNST, Austin	+13	F	+2	73	82	74		229
	T65	T63		MORENO, Paola	+13	F	+5	74	78	77		229
	T67	69		KIM, Mindy	+14	F	+1	76	81	73		230
	T67	T65		PANCAKE, Brooke	+14	F	+5	72	81	77		230
	69	67		CONCOLINO, Jacqui	+15	F	+5	81	73	77		231

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