Kerr rides a birdie streak to lead at Women’s Open

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Cristie Kerr knows the emotion of winning a U.S. Women’s Open, and she wants to experience it again — preferably this week.

Two years after winning the national championship, the 31-year-old Kerr is in position again.

She strung together three birdies on the front nine Friday in a round of 1-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead over Paula Creamer after two rounds of the Women’s Open.

Kerr overcame a bout of lightheadedness at the start and had one of only six rounds under par on the tough Saucon Valley Country Club layout, offsetting four bogeys with five birdies. She stands at 3-under 139.

The focus Friday was back on golf, a marked change at an event that has been overshadowed all week by a dispute between LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens and more than a dozen top tour players who signed a letter calling for her resignation.

The New York Times, citing a source, reported on Friday that Bivens originally planned to fight the move to force her out, but had decided to step down after the Open concludes. Golf Digest had previously reported on Thursday that Bivens would be replaced, as soon as next week, and cited sources who said the letter from the players was the final blow.

The drama off the course was not a distraction to the players, who were more concerned with the narrow fairways and speedy undulating greens at the Old Course as the cut line fell at 9-over.

Kerr moved around the course with the confidence that only a major winner can display.

“It’s great to know that I’ve won one, and I know I can do it on the weekend,” she said. “I feel very comfortable.”

Not feeling her best at the start, Kerr opened with a bogey and four pars. She began feeling better on the 13th — she started on the back nine — and hit stride on the 15th through 17th.

She rolled in putts of 9, 3 and 8 feet for her run of birdies and, after a pair of bogeys to open her back nine, made birdie putts of 15 and 12 feet on the way in to maintain the lead.

Creamer, chasing her first Women’s Open title, carded a 3-under 68 after an opening 72 and was alone in second at 2-under 140.

Creamer is coming off a thumb injury that forced her to miss the last two tournaments but there was no sign the sore thumb is affecting her play at Saucon Valley.

“Being able to play pain-free is very nice, and not having to withdraw or worry about my thumb is a very nice feeling,” she said.

Creamer started the day 1-over, and moved into red numbers after back-to-back birdies at the ninth and 10th. Her round included five birdies, two bogeys and 11 pars, good enough for sole possession of second, her best standing after two rounds in an Open.

Futures Tour player Jean Reynolds is third after a 72 for a 1-under 141. A two-time winner this year on the Futures Tour she hung tough in just her second Women’s Open.