Ochoa takes control

Defending champion Lorena Ochoa (66-68-66) has taken control of the 2009 Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV with a three-stroke gap between her and second-place Sandra Gal (68-69-66). Ochoa carded a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 en route to her 54-hole 16-under-par 200 mark, which is three strokes lower than her 54-hole co-lead in 2008 with Louise Friberg at 13-under-par. Gal hit the 13-under-par mark, in part, thanks to her hole six, par-4, 385-yard eagle: a 9-iron from 137 yards.

Ochoa has held the lead going into the final round 27 times in her career, winning 19 times and never losing with lead going into the final round since 2007.

Kerr cards low round of the day

Twelve-time LPGA Tour winner Cristie Kerr (71-73-64) went from a tie for 68th at even-par to barely make the cut to a tie for 13th after 54 holes thanks to an 8-under-par 64 on The Senator Course at the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV. Kerr, who leads the Tour with a 70.20 scoring average, helped out that stat after opening rounds of 71-73. Now encouraged with her 8-under-par 208 score, Kerr can focus on the eight strokes she needs to make up to catch leader Lorena Ochoa at 16-under-par 200 (66-68-66). Kerr’s biggest come-from-behind win was eight strokes at the 2006 CN Canadian Women’s Open.

Gal surges to top

A third-consecutive round in the 60s for second-year Tour member Sandra Gal pushed her to 13-under-par 203 (66-68-66) and three strokes off the lead of 16-under-par 200, which is held by defending champion and Rolex Rankings’ number one Lorena Ochoa (66-68-66). Earlier this season, Gal recorded a career-best tie for fifth at the LPGA Corning Classic, where she also carded all rounds in the 60s.

Thompson goes 2-over

An overnight sensation, 14-year-old amateur and U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup Team member Alexis Thompson (65-69-74) carded a 2-over-par 74 during Saturday’s third round at the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV to be tied for 13th heading into Sunday’s final round. Thompson, who finished tied for 21st at the Kraft Nabisco Championship – the LPGA’s first of four majors – earlier this season on a sponsor invite entry, was even on the day with birdies on holes one and eight offsetting bogeys on holes three and 17. A double bogey on the par-4, sixth hole forced her above the par mark, but still at 8-under-par 208 overall.