Defending U.S. Women’s Open champion Cristie Kerr, 30, was inspired by legendary Minneapolis golfer Patty Berg. Kerr said earlier this week that Berg, who passed away in 2006, inspired her when she asked what it takes to make a champion.
Berg told her “you have to bleed red, white and blue.” The advice meant playing with superior effort and inspired Kerr to wear red, white and blue clothing last year on the final day of the Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina.
Berg was the first U.S. Women’s champion, winning the title in 1946. Now Kerr will be trying to repeat as champion in Berg’s home area. The Open will be played June 23-29 at Interlachen Country Club in Edina.
It will be a determined Kerr who takes to the course. Last year not even a rain delay could stop her from going to the driving range where she worked on her game as lightening lit up the sky.
Kerr said earlier this week she’s “peaking” as she approaches the championship here. “I feel like my game is at a point where I can win again…,” she said.
In the next few weeks Kerr will work hard on her short game which she said has to be “phenomenal” to win the Open. The Interlachen course has no flat greens and overall is considered a demanding but fair test for the golfers who will come here.
The course will be 6,789 yards, the longest yardage in Open history, with a score of 292 required to play par. When Bobby Jones won the men’s U.S. Open in 1930 at Interlachen the total yardage was 6,672.
“It’s going to be a great championship here at Interlachen,” Kerr said.