Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson Tied For Lead After 3rd Round Of 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship

Michelle Wie (click to enlarge)

If you are fan of American LPGA players, you probably hope this week’s 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship follows the early season tour pattern. American Jessica Korda won the season opener, followed by tournament victories by Karrie Webb and Anna Nordqvist. Then American Paula Creamer won, followed once again by Karrie Webb and Anna Nordqvist wins. So if the trend continues, an American should take home the trophy in the LPGA’s first Major of the year. Lo and behold, after round 3 there are two Americans tied for the lead at 10-under, Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson. Not only are these young players, and thus very promising for immediate and future success of United States professional women’s golf, but all four (Korda, Creamer, Wie and Thompson) are 2013 Solheim Cup members. Hmmmm…let’s see, young, talented, fit, successful, popular, attractive, American…gee…you’d think with all that going for them they could get on a Golf Digest cover. But then again…

Se Ri Pak (click to enlarge)

And yet…with my heart so very much wanting to see Michelle or Lexi win their first Major, I wouldn’t be the diehard LPGA fan that I am today were it not for two players, Grace Park and the woman tied for 3rd place going into the final round, Se Ri Pak. For the record, I never liked the idea of 5 Majors, so were Se Ri to win KNC and take the Poppie’s Pond plunge, I would consider her to have achieved the career Grand Slam. She’s within striking range at 8-under. My only concern on the final day is whether she presses and ultimately comes unhinged due to self-imposed stress. She has said that the Kraft Nabisco Championship is the tournament she wants the most. The danger is wanting it too much. Pak has company at 8-under in the person of Charley Hull. The 18-year old Englishwoman, whose 6-under 66 was the low round of the day, won on the Ladies European Tour last month, so she has the skill and will to close a professional tournament.

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TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD

T1 MICHELLE WIE (-10)

T1 LEXI THOMPSON (-10)

T3 SE RI PAK (-8)

T3 CHARLEY HULL (-8)

T5 CRISTIE KERR (-6)

T5 CATRIONA MATTHEW (-6)

T7 CHELLA CHOI (-5)

T7 SHANSHAN FENG (-5)

…AND SELECTED IMAGES FROM THE REST OF THE FIELD

T70 AI MIYAZATO (+8)

T57 PAULA CREAMER (+4)

T9 GERINA PILLER (-4)

T19 BROOKE HENDERSON (-1)

T19 MORGAN PRESSEL (-1)

18 ANNA NORDQVIST (-2)

Pos	Start	Start Proj		Player	ToPar	Thru	Today	R2	R3	R4
	T1	T1	15	6	WIE, Michelle	-10	2:01 PM	67	71	68	206
	T1	T1	12	5	THOMPSON, Lexi	-10	2:01 PM	73	64	69	206
	T3	T3	T126	32	HULL, Charley	-8	1:52 PM	73	69	66	208
	T3	T3	27	16	PAK, Se Ri	-8	1:52 PM	67	70	71	208
	T5	T5	30	23	MATTHEW, Catriona	-6	1:43 PM	72	68	70	210
	T5	T5	25	19	KERR, Cristie	-6	1:43 PM	69	70	71	210
	T7	T7	8	8	CHOI, Chella	-5	1:34 PM	70	72	69	211
	T7	T7	35	30	FENG, Shanshan	-5	1:34 PM	66	73	72	211
	T9	T9	29	25	STANFORD, Angela	-4	1:25 PM	74	69	69	212
	T9	T9	4	4	LEWIS, Stacy	-4	1:25 PM	73	70	69	212
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	T9	T9	13	13	PILLER, Gerina	-4	1:08 PM	77	65	70	212
	T9	T9	5	7	MUNOZ, Azahara	-4	1:08 PM	72	70	70	212
	T9	T9	T126	61	SHIN, Jiyai	-4	12:59 PM	69	73	70	212
	T9	T9	14	14	YANG, Amy	-4	12:59 PM	68	73	71	212
	T15	T15	T126	T81	LEE, Jee Young	-3	12:50 PM	71	75	67	213
	T15	T15	1	1	WEBB, Karrie	-3	12:50 PM	73	70	70	213
	T15	T15	16	17	LEE, Mirim	-3	12:41 PM	71	72	70	213
	18	18	2	2	NORDQVIST, Anna	-2	12:41 PM	71	69	74	214
	T19	T19			*HENDERSON, Brooke	-1	12:32 PM	77	68	70	215
	T19	T19	56	T43	JOH, Tiffany	-1	12:32 PM	70	75	70	215
	T19	T19	28	28	PARK, Hee Young	-1	12:23 PM	72	72	71	215
	T19	T19	T64	49	KANG, Haeji	-1	12:23 PM	70	74	71	215
	T19	T19	T78	54	KIM, Christina	-1	12:14 PM	74	69	72	215
	T19	T19	19	20	CHOI, Na Yeon	-1	12:14 PM	72	71	72	215
	T19	T19	60	48	MARTIN, Mo	-1	12:05 PM	73	68	74	215
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	T19	T19	11	15	PRESSEL, Morgan	-1	12:05 PM	70	70	75	215
	T27	T27	38	34	KONGKRAPHAN, P.K.	E	11:48 AM	74	74	68	216
	T27	T27	24	26	JI, Eun-Hee	E	11:48 AM	74	73	69	216
	T27	T27	51	42	LINDBERG, Pernilla	E	11:39 AM	73	74	69	216
	T27	T27	T41	37	LEE, Mi Hyang	E	11:39 AM	72	72	72	216
	T27	T27	17	18	PHATLUM, Pornanong	E	11:30 AM	71	73	72	216
	T27	T27			*LEE, Minjee	E	11:30 AM	75	68	73	216
	T27	T27	6	9	KO, Lydia	E	11:21 AM	73	70	73	216
	T34	T34	75	58	LEE, Ilhee	+1	11:21 AM	78	69	70	217
	T34	T34	20	22	SHIN, Jenny	+1	11:12 AM	74	73	70	217
	T34	T34	101	T70	WALSHE, Alison	+1	11:12 AM	73	74	70	217
	T34	T34	34	33	YOO, Sun Young	+1	11:03 AM	74	72	71	217
	T34	T34	7	10	KORDA, Jessica	+1	11:03 AM	73	73	71	217
	T34	T34	T126	T99	JANG, Ha Na	+1	10:54 AM	73	73	71	217
	T34	T34	T41	38	MASSON, Caroline	+1	10:54 AM	73	72	72	217
	T34	T34	T45	41	SUWANNAPURA, Thidapa	+1	10:45 AM	73	72	72	217
	T34	T34	99	T67	ERNST, Austin	+1	10:45 AM	71	74	72	217
	T34	T34	9	11	PARK, Inbee	+1	10:36 AM	74	70	73	217
	T34	T34	21	24	RYU, So Yeon	+1	10:36 AM	70	72	75	217
	T45	T45	T53	52	URIBE, Mariajo	+2	10:27 AM	72	72	74	218
	T45	T45	T94	76	CASTRALE, Nicole	+2	10:27 AM	71	73	74	218
	T47	T47	T126	T108	*LEE, Alison	+3	10:18 AM	75	74	70	219
	T47	T47	18	21	ICHER, Karine	+3	10:18 AM	75	72	72	219
	T47	T47	89	T72	KIM, I.K.	+3	10:09 AM	74	73	72	219
	T47	T47	T45	T45	SERGAS, Giulia	+3	10:09 AM	73	74	72	219
	T47	T47	47	47	EWART SHADOFF, Jodi	+3	10:00 AM	76	70	73	219
	T47	T47	T126	T108	INKSTER, Juli	+3	10:00 AM	76	70	73	219
	T47	T47			*VU, Lilia	+3	9:43 AM	73	73	73	219
	T47	T47	T126	T108	KANG, Jimin	+3	9:43 AM	76	69	74	219
	T47	T47	T126	T108	ROSALES, Jennifer	+3	9:34 AM	69	74	76	219
	T47	T47	23	27	GAL, Sandra	+3	9:34 AM	72	70	77	219
	T57	T57	3	3	CREAMER, Paula	+4	9:25 AM	72	74	74	220
	T57	T57	59	59	KUNG, Candie	+4	9:25 AM	74	70	76	220
	T59	T59			*OH, Su-Hyun	+5	9:16 AM	74	74	73	221
	T59	T59	T126	T123	KIM, Sei Young	+5	9:16 AM	75	70	76	221
	T59	T59	36	40	HEDWALL, Caroline	+5	9:07 AM	71	74	76	221
	T59	T59	71	T67	CIGANDA, Carlota	+5	9:07 AM	73	69	79	221
	T63	T63	T73	T74	KANG, Danielle	+6	8:58 AM	76	73	73	222
	T63	T63	39	T45	NOMURA, Haru	+6	8:58 AM	75	72	75	222
	T63	T63			*YIN, Angel	+6	8:49 AM	68	79	75	222
	T63	T63	T126	128	YOKOMINE, Sakura	+6	8:49 AM	75	70	77	222
	T67	T67	62	66	HAN, Hee-Won	+7	8:40 AM	75	73	75	223
	T67	T67	32	T35	LEE, Meena	+7	8:40 AM	74	74	75	223
	T67	T67	58	64	BOELJON, Christel	+7	8:31 AM	73	72	78	223
	T70	T70	40	50	SCHREEFEL, Dewi Claire	+8	8:31 AM	75	74	75	224
	T70	T70	66	T74	MIYAZATO, Ai	+8	8:22 AM	77	71	76	224
	T72	T72	49	56	LINCICOME, Brittany	+9	8:22 AM	77	72	76	225
	T72	T72	50	57	HARIGAE, Mina	+9	8:13 AM	76	72	77	225
Players below this line have missed the cut.
	CUT		T109	T117	PACE, Lee-Anne	+6		79	71		150
	CUT		48	55	CARTER, Dori	+6		77	73		150
	CUT		122	132	GULBIS, Natalie	+6		77	73		150
	CUT		T69	T79	JUTANUGARN, Moriya	+6		77	73		150
	CUT		43	51	UEHARA, Ayako	+6		76	74		150
	CUT		55	63	JOHNSON, Jennifer	+6		74	76		150
	CUT		44	53	SUH, Jenny	+6		74	76		150
	CUT		10	12	SALAS, Lizette	+6		73	77		150
	CUT		T119	T129	MCCLOSKEY, Lisa	+7		81	70		151
	CUT		T73	83	WRIGHT, Lindsey	+7		80	71		151
	CUT		26	31	GRANADA, Julieta	+7		78	73		151
	CUT		T126	T139	MCBRIDE, Maria	+7		78	73		151
	CUT		63	T70	OH, Ji Young	+7		78	73		151
	CUT				*TALLEY, Emma	+7		78	73		151
	CUT		T106	T114	HUR, Mi Jung	+7		77	74		151
	CUT		57	65	VEDEL, Line	+7		76	75		151
	CUT		33	39	TSENG, Yani	+7		75	76		151
	CUT		72	T81	MIYAZATO, Mika	+7		74	77		151
	CUT		T69	T79	LEE-BENTHAM, Rebecca	+8		80	72		152
	CUT		T126	T139	SONG, Bo Bae	+8		79	73		152
	CUT		T126	T139	COE, Irene	+8		77	75		152
	CUT		T126	T139	HURST, Pat	+8		76	76		152
	CUT		52	60	SEO, Hee Kyung	+8		76	76		152
	CUT		61	69	DIAZ, Laura	+9		78	75		153
	CUT		T91	T97	KIRK, Katherine	+9		78	75		153
	CUT		121	131	HURST, Vicky	+9		75	78		153
	CUT		T126	T139	ARIMURA, Chie	+10		78	76		154
	CUT				*PARK, Annie	+10		76	78		154
	CUT		37	T43	LEWIS, Amelia	+11		78	77		155
	CUT				*RAMSEY, Ashlan	+11		77	78		155
	CUT		T126	T139	CONCOLINO, Jacqui	+12		79	77		156
	CUT		31	T35	LANG, Brittany	+12		76	80		156
	CUT				*KORDA, Nelly	+13		81	76		157
	CUT		T126	T139	GUSTAFSON, Sophie	+13		76	81		157
	CUT		T126	T139	YI, Eunjung	+14		78	80		158
	CUT		T97	T103	RECARI, Beatriz	+15		81	78		159
	CUT		T126	T139	ALCOTT, Amy	+18		81	81		162
	CUT		T117	T126	LACROSSE, Cindy	+19		80	83		163