Beginning at 15, Kerr went on a birdie tear that moved her to four under and a three-shot lead. She got there without having to make a birdie putt longer than nine feet.
Buzzing from the birdie run, Kerr pulled a five-wood at the par-five first hole and tried to reach the green in two. Instead, she fell into a tangled rough lie and made bogey, the first of two straight.
"Got a little greedy, and I think I learned my lesson," Kerr said. "Just get it in the fairway. Doesn't matter what. You could have a seven-iron in. It's better than being in the rough with a sand wedge. But you have those moments in the U.S. Open where they either work out or they don't. And when they don't, you learn from them."
Reynolds has won $63,650 on the Futures Tour this year, which is about what a 10th-place finish will pay this week. Behind her today, thousands will flock to watch Kerr and Creamer.
"We'll see what tomorrow brings," she said.
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mark.wogenrich@mcall.com
