Founders Cup - 2nd Round

Angela Stanford carries a three-shot lead into the final round of the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup.  Brittany Lincicome is in second place at -9, Mindy Kim is third at -8 and Cristie Kerr is fourth at -7.

Stanford posted her second straight 66 on Saturday, taking her first true bogey of the week at the par-4 3^rd hole (she doubled the par-4 8^th on Friday).  Seven birdies more than compensated for that lapse, setting Angela up for a great shot at her fifth career victory.  Lincicome was bogey-free on the day with two birdies on each side.  Kim, a third-year player with only one Top 10 in 22 career starts, opened her round with five straight birdies to reach -8.  She traded bogey with birdie a couple of times the rest of the way.  After Kerr at -7, Karrie Webb, Mina Harigae and my "old" favorite Seon Hwa Lee are tied for fifth place at -6, unfortunately six shots behind.

The cut came at +2, claiming the heads of Katherine Hull, Jee Young Lee, Azahara Munoz and Kristy McPherson.  Fifteen players made it on the number, including the struggling Jiyai Shin, Yani Tseng and Karine Icher. 

I love history, especially when I notice that something which has occurred before could now be happening again.  Like Lincicome, Cristie Kerr birdied four times with no bogeys on Saturday and lurks five shots behind the leader.  Two times during the 2006 season, Angela Stanford led events going into the final round and twice Cristie Kerr fired 65s to steal the victories.  Angela avoided the three-peat by winning the 2008 Bell Micro Classic when Cristie wasn't able to haul her down, but Kerr started seven shots back that day and never got it in gear.  I can't help but think that that result catapulted Stanford as she went on to win twice more in the next four months.  Angela has other players to worry about today of course, but I know who I'm going to be watching out for during the final-round coverage this evening.