Golf-Americans Kerr, Kim and McPherson tied for California lead

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

RANCHO MIRAGE, California, April 4 (Reuters) - Former U.S. Women's Open champion Cristie Kerr held a share of the lead midway through Saturday's third round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

With virtually the entire field struggling on a Mission Hills Country Club layout running fast and firm, American Kerr was at even par for the day after 10 holes.

The 31-year-old LPGA Tour veteran offset a birdie at the second with a bogey at the fourth to remain at five under overall, level with compatriots Christina Kim and Kristy McPherson.

Kim and McPherson, playing in the final pairing, were one over for the round on a calm but hot day in the California desert.

First-round leader Brittany Lincicome of the U.S. was a further stroke back in a tie for fourth with Australian Lindsey Wright.

McPherson, in her third season on the LPGA Tour, held a share of the overnight lead with Kim but edged ahead by rolling in a nine-footer to birdie the par-four first.

Although she slipped back with a bogey at the par-three fifth, where she found a bunker off the tee, she regained a one-stroke advantage when Kim bogeyed the seventh.

However McPherson also stumbled at the par-three eighth after hitting a tree off the tee to slide back into a three-way tie for the lead at five under.