Wright, Kerr seize LPGA lead as Ochoa stumbles

Australian Lindsey Wright, seeking her first LPGA title, fired a seven-under 64 Saturday to share the lead with US veteran Cristie Kerr at the 2.2 million-dollar Michelob Ultra Open.

Wright, coming off a fourth-place finish at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco in the first women's major of the season, fired a bogey-free round to stand on 15-under par 198 after 54 holes at Kingsmill.

"I'm really comfortable with my game," Wright said. "There are a lot of demanding holes. We will look forward to having some fun on Sunday."

Wright, who has only one bogey this week, opened with back-to-back birdies, added birdies on the par-3 fifth and par-5 seventh and on the back nine broke through with birdies at the 11th, par-5 15th and par-3 17th.

Kerr sandwiched a bogey between two birdies in her first three holes then birdied the par-3 fifth but finished her front nine with a bogey. Birdies at 12, 15, 17 and 18 lifted her into a share of the lead with a 66 Saturday.

"I found a little bit of that zone on the back nine," Kerr said. "I just played within myself, didn't try to hit it too close when my swing wasn't on. I hit some close on the back, made a great putt at 15 and got on a great roll."

South Korea's In-Kyung Kim was third on 199, one stroke ahead of compatriot Song-Hee Kim with world number one Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and Americans Wendy Ward and Natalie Gulbis sharing fifth on 203.

Ochoa, who led by three when the day began in quest of her first Kingsmill crown, soared to a 74 but said she was not out of contention despite being five strokes off the pace.

"I believe in myself. Hopefully I can be aggressive and have a low round," Ochoa said.

Ochoa made a six-foot birdie putt at the fourth, gave it back with a bogey at the sixth but birdied the seventh and sank a 12-foot par putt at the ninth.

But bogeys at 10 and 13 and a double bogey at 14 dropped Ochoa well off the pace.

"It happened. It wasn't a bad day. It was just a couple of bad breaks," said Ochoa. "I have to come home with that and come back and play better."

Her disaster at the 14th came she went over the green on her approach, then failed to reach the green with her first chip.

"I misjudged the distance and went over the green. It was tough," Ochoa said. "I didn't have much green to work with and I ended up short."