Kelepouris, McBride, Morgan Share Round 3 Lead at U.S. Senior Women’s Open

The challenge of the weekend at a USGA championship is that it’s the weekend at a USGA championship. And that brings with it a special kind of pressure. 

On Saturday at San Diego Country Club Maria McBride, Becky Morgan and Corina Kelepouris all passed that test with flying colors. They now head to the final round of the 7th U.S. Senior Women’s Open co-leading by three strokes at 4-under-par 215.

Ashli Bunch and 1988 U.S. Women’s Open champion Liselotte Neumann are at 218. Five-time USGA champion Juli Inkster is at 220 along with defending champion Leta Lindley and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open winner Trish Johnson. 

One interesting aspect of the final round is that while McBride and Morgan are both veteran touring pros of both the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour, Kelepouris is a teaching pro. 

“Overall, I played really well today,” McBride said. “I just did not have any putts drop whatsoever. So it's a little frustrating. But knowing that I haven't had any putts dropping and I'm still tied for the lead really makes me excited for tomorrow, and I really look forward to it.”

Barb Moxness, at 72 the oldest player in the field, broke her age for the second time this week, posting a 2-under-par 71 to be at 221 along with Michele Redman.

“My goal for this week first was to make the cut, and I did that, and now I wanted to dig in a little bit because I had a bad day yesterday and try and bring back some of the shots I threw away yesterday, so was able to do that today,” Moxness said. “Gave the gallery a little something to cheer about, and it was fun.”

As for breaking her age yet again, Moxness said: “Oh, my gosh, I'm so grateful. I feel so blessed to be able to do that. It's fun for me.”

Morgan, who twice represented Wales on the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team, took a one-stroke lead over McBride and Kelepouris into Saturday’s third round and maintained a share of the top spot with an even-par 73.

“My caddie Beth [Allen] has been brilliant talking me around,” Morgan said. “She used to play on the European Tour, really good golfer, so she's helped me a lot. We just talk about stuff that's not really related out here until we need to. I'm staying with Trish [Johnson] and Laura [Davies] this week in a house, so we'll just have dinner and watch something on TV and go to bed.”

Kelepouris, a Canadian who played the Epson Tour for a decade then took time off before becoming a teaching pro in La Quinta, Calif., was T-9 in this championship last year. When she rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 10 she took the lead alone at 6-under par. But she stumbled with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 on her way to a 72.

“I was steady today,” said Kelepouris. “Had a three-putt and then I made a mistake on 16, called my caddie off and I should have listened. My caddie does a great job of keeping me in it, in the moment. Between now and tomorrow, I'll be getting a lot of foot rubs. That keeps me relaxed.”

The combination of a USGA-designed examination of skill and discipline and the William Bell-designed golf course made for a great test. This Bell course is distinguished by brilliant green complexes, stunning sharp-edged bunkers and rolling fairways that resemble the humps and bumps of ski mogul. 

The reward for hitting the fairway is enormous, both because the ball can be spun into greens where proper ball placement is essential and because the sticky rough gobbles up balls while the rollercoaster fairway propels them forward, yielding yards and yards of roll. 

Hitting greens in regulation has been the key stat this week. McBride, Morgan, Kelepouris, Neumann and Lindley are all among the leaders in that category. McBride’s power has also fueled her play this week. She’s second in driving distance, averaging more than 250 yards a pop. On the 288-yard 15th hole she drove to the fringe and made a birdie.

Annika Sorenstam, who was the leader after the first round, once again struggled with the putter and shot 75 to be at 223.

The stage is set with a trio on top with five players within five strokes of them, including four with experience winning a major championship. That will add to the drama. After all, the only thing more challenging than Saturday at a USGA championship is Sunday at a USGA championship.